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Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Spotlight on Susan Sleeman and High Stakes Inheritance, Nipped in the Bud

Don't forget the rules of the spotlights here. Answer the random question associated with this spotlight in the comments in order to be entered in the drawing.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


SUSAN SLEEMAN Susan grew up in a small Wisconsin town where she spent her summers reading Nancy Drew and developing a love of mystery and suspense books. Today, she channels this enthusiasm into hosting the popular internet website TheSuspenseZone.com and writing romantic suspense and mystery novels.

Much to her husband’s chagrin, Susan loves to look at everyday situations and turn them into murder and mayhem scenarios for future novels. If you’ve met Susan, she has probably figured out a plausible way to kill you and get away with it. Don’t worry, she’d never follow through on it.

Her GARDEN GATE MYSTERY series featuring landscape designer Paige Turner, debuts with NIPPED IN THE BUD in Barbour Books Hometown Mysteries line. An avid gardener, Susan has included gardening tips at the beginning of each chapter brought to you in humorous scenarios.

Her first romantic suspense novel, featuring a trio of brothers who must find Courage to Trust, debuts with Ryan’s story in HIGH-STAKES INHERITANCE this fall. These stories will be told as part of Steeple Hill’s Love Inspired Suspense line with the second brother’s story coming in June of 2011 in BEHIND THE BADGE.

Susan currently lives in Florida, but has had the pleasure of living in nine states. Her husband is a church music director and they have two beautiful daughters, a very special son-in-law and an adorable grandson. In her spare time, you can find her traveling to Oregon to visit her children and grandson, reading, gardening or working on TheSuspenseZone.com. To learn more about Susan, please visit her website, or follow on Twitter and Facebook.

http://www.susansleeman.com - Personal website
http://www.thesuspensezone.com - Book review website
http://www.hometownmysteries.com - Hometown Mystery Website
http://www.twitter.com/susansleeman - Twitter
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Susan-Sleeman-Books/124844037537711 - Facebook
http://www.loveinspiredauthors.com - Love Inspired Author

HIGH-STAKES INHERITANCE
by Susan Sleeman
Published by Steeple Hill/Love Inspired

NIPPED IN THE BUD (Hometown Mysteries)
by Susan Sleeman
Published by Barbour's Hometown Mysteries

ABOUT THE BOOKS

High Stakes Inheritance

"Leave Logan Lake now or you will pay!"

Despite the threatening warning, Mia Blackburn won't let anyone scare her from the rustic resort she inherits from her beloved uncle. But when a fire traps her in a burning barn, she fears that she won't get out alive. Just in time her ex-boyfriend volunteer firefighter Ryan Morgan rescues her from the deadly blaze. He had once broken her heart, yet she still has feelings for him. With Ryan insisting on keeping a close eye on her, Mia feels safer-and closer to Ryan than ever before. Yet the threats haven't stopped, and soon Mia's high-stakes inheritance includes a murder and Mia could be the next victim.

Nipped in the Bud

Paige Turner has secured her first landscaping contract, sprucing up the city park for the upcoming Pickle Fest. But after a confrontation with the city manager, she finds him dead in a mound of mulch. With no alibi for the time of death and, according to the police chief, with plenty of motive to carry out the murder, Paige must dig her way out of the mess by finding the real killer. Attorney Adam Hayes aids in her search as he works hard to keep her out jail-and his heart.

Readers, buy your copy of High-Stakes Inheritanceand today!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1. What gave you the inspiration for these stories?

The inspiration for Nipped in the Bud came from my love of gardening. I wanted to find a way to share practical gardening advice through a fictional story and of course for me, no story is complete without a mystery to solve. So I created Paige Turner, a landscape designer and radio show host who is accused of murder and Nipped in the Bud was birthed.

High-Stakes Inheritance came from watching a television reality television show called Brat Camp where troubled teens went into the wilderness to overcome obstacles in their lives. The show only stayed on one season, but as someone who holds a degree in psychology, I found the program and student counselor interactions fascinating. So I researched wilderness-counseling programs and the framework for High-Stakes Inheritance’s wilderness counseling theme came from there.

2. How much of your own experiences influenced your characters? What aspects became traits that were theirs and theirs alone?

Both Nipped in the Bud and High-Stakes Inheritance are set in small towns and having grown up in a small town, I imagine many of my characters actions were influenced by the experience of living in a small town. But of the two books, Paige Turner in Nipped in the Bud benefitted most from my own experiences. I love to garden and can be a bit obsessed by having the perfect garden. So Paige gets that tendency from me. But her main character trait—assigning plant names to the people she meets and treating them accordingly—is a trait all of her own. I have never once thought of someone as a prickly old globe thistle and kept my distance because I was afraid of being pricked by their barbs. Honest, I haven’t.

3. If your hero/heroine were an ice cream flavor, what would he/she be and why?

Believe it or not, I don’t really like ice cream so I am not familiar with a wide variety of flavors, but here goes.

Paige Turner in Nipped in the Bud would be Ben and Jerry’s flavor called Half Baked, because many of Paige’s thoughts about how people resemble plants are half-baked.

Mia Blackburn in High-Stakes Inheritance would be vanilla soft serve with a hard chocolate shell. With all the rejection and loss she had early on in life, she can act tough and that can come across as hard on the outside. She’s a real softie on the inside, though, and now that God is back in her life, the hard outer coating is melting.

4. Are there any themes in High Stakes Inheritance and Nipped in the Bud that you hope the reader sees? Are there any themes that weren't overt but developed as the stories progressed?

Trusting in God is the main theme in both books. The main characters deal with not trusting God and think they can control their own destiny. I hope after reading these books, the reader will know that you can never go wrong by trusting in God and he has a far richer and more rewarding life planned for us than we could ever dream on our own.

5. What were your most difficult parts to write? Your favorite?

The most difficult part of High-Stakes Inheritance was rewriting the book from a longer format written in first person to a shorter format in third person with another person’s point of view. I did this to meet Love Inspired’s guidelines. Nipped in the Bud was a pure labor of love. Nothing seemed difficult but flowed freely and I wrote it very quickly.

My favorite part of High-Stakes Inheritance was brought about by revising the manuscript and adding the male lead’s point of view. It was so fun to hear what Ryan had to say after working so long with the manuscript in only the female’s point of view. The part of Nipped in the Bud I liked the most was writing the introduction to the chapters. Each chapter starts with gardening hints brought to the reader in humorous snippets from previous airings of Paige’s radio show. In these situations, the caller to the radio show has misunderstood Paige’s advice and find themselves in a mess. I hope that reader’s who are avid gardeners will find the snippets funny and those who want to garden will learn something about the subject in a fun way.

6. When is your next book coming out and what is the story?

My next book is Behind the Badge published by Love Inspired Suspense and is the sequel to High-Stakes Inheritance. Behind the Badge features police chief Russ Morgan and sheriff’s deputy Sydney Tucker who were both introduced in High-Stakes Inheritance. In Behind the Badge, a killer is certain Sydney possesses something he desperately needs to recover and he will stop at nothing to get it back. Even if that means he has to hurt the people she loves. Russ makes it his mission to not only hunt down the killer, but make sure Sydney and her family stay out of harm’s way.

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Thank you, Susan, for being in the spotlight with us.

ENTRY RULES Readers, answer the question associated with the spotlight in the comments, then leave your email address for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of your choice High Stakes Inheritance or Nipped in the Bud. There will be TWO winners this week, but if you do not answer the question, you will not be entered.

Question: Both Nipped in the Bud and High-Stakes Inheritance are set in Oregon, one of my favorite states. Have you ever been to Oregon and if so what is your favorite city, town, burg, etc? If not, why might you want to visit Oregon?

Make sure you also leave your email address (name at domainname dot.com/net). You won't be entered in the drawing without it. If you wish to comment but don't want to be entered, say so when you post.

This week, the contest is open to US/Canada residents only.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Spotlight on Anita Higman and Irene Brand and Love Finds You Under the Mistletoe

Don't forget the rules of the spotlights here. Answer the random question associated with this spotlight in the comments in order to be entered in the drawing.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS


ANITA HIGMAN is an award-winning author with twenty-six books published (several coauthored) for adults and children, and she has been honored as a Barnes & Noble Author of the Month for Houston. Anita has a BA degree, combining communication, psychology, and art. Her favorite things include exotic teas, movies, and all things Jane Austen. Please visit her site at www.anitahigman.com.

IRENE BRAND's first inspirational romance – A Mighty Flame – was published by Thomas Nelson in 1984. The Mistletoe book marks the publication of her 47th book. Some of these are two-book anthologies, and four of the titles are non-fiction. Approximately 3 million copies of her books have been printed. She has been published my many of the major Christian publishers: Standard Publishing, Fleming Revel, Thomas Nelson, Zondervan, Kregel, Barbour, Steeple Hill, and Summerside Press. In addition to her rigid writing schedule, Irene is actively involved in the ministry of her local Baptist church, where she’s been a member since she was eleven-years-old. Irene’s home is at Southside, West Virginia, where she has lived all of her life. She’s been married 54 years to Rod Brand, and they’ve traveled to thirty-five foreign countries and all fifty states.

LOVE FINDS YOU UNDER THE MISTLETOE
by Irene Brand and Anita Higman
Published by Summerside Press

ABOUT THE BOOK

Appalachian Christmas by Irene Brand

When there was no response, David called loudly, "Mr. Walden, it's David Armstrong. I must speak to you."
Julia didn't hear a sound until the hinges squeaked slightly and the door opened about five inches.
"What do you want? a man muttered in a harsh, raw voice.
"I have someone who wants to talk to you," David said, gesturing for Julia to come to his side.
On trembling legs, she stepped forward and took her sleeping nephew from David's arms. She shook Bobby gently to awaken him. The waning twilight revealed a white-haired, whiskered man with a vicious expression on the stony mask of his face.
"Mr. Walden, I'm Julia Mayfield. My sister was married to your son, Robert," she explained in a shaky voice. "She died two years ago when their son was a month old. Her deathbed wish was for me to bring your grandson to meet you." She thrust her nephew closer to the screen door. "This is Bobby."
The old man gasped, and a keening wail escaped his lips. "Go away, go away!" he shouted. "You lie. I'll kill you if you ever come here again. I'll kill you." Wailing like a banshee, he slammed the door, and a key turned in the lock.

Once Upon a Christmas Eve by Anita Higman

Holly Goodnight's store has just been voted best Christmas shop in America. All the new publicity draws flamboyant novelist Van Keaton to the cozy town of Noel, Missouri, demanding to write Holly's story - a dramatic tale of misfortune and triumph. She is swept up in his world of beautiful words and fanciful interludes...until Owen Quigly, her lifelong best friend, launches a plan to win her back.

Readers, buy your copy of Love Finds You Under the Mistletoe today!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1. What gave you the inspiration for this story?

Anita: The idea for Once Upon a Christmas Eve may have started with my interest in the fairy archetype. I loved the movies Cold Comfort Farm and Chocolat for that very reason. There was something enchanting about those two heroines as they whirled around, fixing people’s lives. I gave my main character, Holly Goodnight, some similar fanciful qualities.

Irene: I'm a retired history teacher, and I built many of my teaching segments around United States wars. As a child, I knew many World War II veterans, and I've always been interested in that part of United States history. One young soldier from our community was killed in the war, and his mother became a recluse for years. She turned her back on God. A cousin of mine served in the War and he sent gift items to me from all over the world. As for inspiration, I was motivated by the different veterans and how they reacted to their war experiences.

2. How much of your own experiences influenced your characters? What aspects became traits that were theirs and theirs alone?

Anita: I’m not sure of the percentage, but yes, my own personal experiences as well as my own personality traits definitely make it into my work. Just to use one character as an example, Van Keaton suffered with some unique issues in the story, and they did come from some of my own struggles. But Van had a slightly arrogant side to him too, and I pray that’s not me. I hope I’ve successfully stamped out that part of my personality!

Irene: I don't intend to use any of my personal experiences, such as love affairs or conflicts, in my story. However, as I've stated in the first question, my memories of the post war experiences influenced my attitudes and thoughts. I make an effort to never put myself into the life of a character. So each character is a fictitious person.

3. If your hero/heroine were an ice cream flavor, what would he/she be and why?

Anita: Holly Goodnight would be licorice ice cream. (And yes, that flavor does exist). It’s a jazzy flavor that says, “I’m not afraid to be different!”

Irene: I'd choose strawberry. For one thing, my hero raised strawberries for a cash crop and sold them in nearby cities. And wild strawberries grow in most parts of the Appalachian region.

4. Are there any themes in your story in Love Finds You Under the Mistletoe that you hope the reader sees? Are there any themes that weren't overt but developed as the story progressed?

Anita: The primary theme was, “No matter how impossible circumstances look, God can work all things for good.” Any other story themes revolve around that one. Just as a side note, I don’t usually set out with certain themes in mind. They usually rise up on their own.

Irene: Love overcomes all difficulties which would keep a couple from planning a life together. Despite the bad reputation that many Appalachian communities have of poverty, illiteracy and similar problems, the people, in general, are intelligent, warm-hearted, and devoted to God. An impressive number of Kentucky men and women served in World War II.

5. What were your most difficult parts to write? Your favorite?

Anita: When I first started writing my story within Love Finds You Under the Mistletoe I was having trouble getting a feel for the characters. In fact, it was really tripping me up! So, I had to just keep writing and writing and writing to figure out who they were. Once I knew them, really knew them, I could soar. My favorite part is when my fingers can finally feel like they’re flying.

Irene: The most difficult part is the first draft. I have to drive myself to finish the story background. I love to edit and would find something to change if I read the manuscript a hundred times. I loved doing local research for this book.

6. When is your next book coming out and what is the story?

Anita: I have four books coming out in the next two years, and one of them is a novel entitled, Another Grave Matter. It will be released January, 2012. It’s an inspirational gothic mystery with some comedy. This novel will finish out The Volstead Manor Series.

Irene: I don't have a contract for another book, as yet, but I have several manuscripts being circulated by my agent. Watch my website for future publications. www.irenebrand.com.

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Thank you, Anita and Irene, for being in the spotlight with us.

ENTRY RULES Readers, answer either question or both questions associated with the spotlight in the comments, then leave your email address for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of Love Finds You Under the Mistletoe. THREE winners will be chosen this week, thanks to the generosity of our spotlight authors. If you do not answer the question, you will not be entered.

Question: What flavor of ice cream would you be?

Question: Did you have an ancestor who served his/her country during World War II? Please share a brief note highlighting his/her experiences.

Make sure you also leave your email address (name at domainname dot.com/net). You won't be entered in the drawing without it. If you wish to comment but don't want to be entered, say so when you post.

This week, the contest is open to US/Canada residents only.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Spotlight on Alice J. Wisler and Hatteras Girl

Don't forget the rules of the spotlights here. Answer the random question associated with this spotlight in the comments in order to be entered in the drawing.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


ALICE J. WISLER, in addition to writing novels set in her state of North Carolina, teaches grief-writing courses. Her four year old son, Daniel died in 1997 from cancer treatments, and she knows how therapeutic writing from pain can be. Alice offers Writing the Heartache classes both online and at physical locations. She founded Daniel's House Publications, a support group for bereaved parents and speaks across the country on coping after the death of a child. Alice lives with her three kids and husband in Durham, NC, where they often take their boat, Rain Song (named after her first novel) out on lovely Falls Lake. She enjoys cooking Asian food and acting.

Alice's blogs: http://alicewisler.blogspot.com/ and http://writingtheheartache.blogspot.com/.

Hatteras Girl
by Alice J. Wisler
Published by Bethany House

ABOUT THE BOOK

Jackie Donovan prays for two things: an honest, wonderful man to marry and to own a bed-and-breakfast on the beautiful Outer Banks of North Carolina. In the meantime, she works for Lighthouse Views, writing articles about local business owners, and intrepidly goes on the blind dates set up by her well-meaning but oh-so-clueless relatives.

There's one specific property Jackie dreams of purchasing: The Bailey House, a fabulous old home located right next to the ocean, a place where Jackie spent many happy childhood afternoons. But the Bailey House has strange stories and secrets surrounding it—not to mention its outrageous price tag.

When Jackie meets handsome Davis Erickson, who holds the key to the Bailey property, she believes God has answered both her prayers. But as Jackie learns some disturbing details about Davis's past, she begins to wonder if her heart has lead her astray. Will she risk her long-held dreams to find out the truth?

Readers, buy your copy of Hatteras Girl today!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1. What gave you the inspiration for this story?

I love the sun and wind that play around the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Being in that region is romantic, fun and beautiful. Of course, it makes a great
setting for a novel about a woman who not only wants romance, but to run a colonial bed and breakfast.

2. How much of your own experiences influenced your characters? What aspects became traits that were theirs and theirs alone?

Jackie is impatient and grows frustrated when things don't go her way. I can be like that! Her love of cottage cheese and chips is not mine. We do share height--she's 5'10" and I'm 5'9".

3. If your hero/heroine were an ice cream flavor, what would he/she be and why?

Chocolate fudge, I think. And speaking of ice cream, like me, Jackie can't eat it without getting it all over herself.

4. Are there any themes in Hatteras Girl that you hope the reader sees? Are there any themes that weren't overt but developed as the story progressed?

Wait on God is a theme that I hope readers see. Wait for the right man and wait for doors to open for dreams to come true. Uncle Ropey has to wait for his dream to own a runabout boat and Sheerly talks of waiting for hers. Other themes? Patience as you wait. Also, dealing with life one day at a time after the death of a loved one. Minnie has to do that after her husband dies.

5. What were your most difficult parts to write? Your favorite?

I love the lines I gave to the mystery writer who comes to Sheerly's salon to get her hair done. And I like the phrase I give Aunt Sheerly to say, "Why is it that getting older takes years off your life?" Quirky dialogue is one of my favorite parts of writing my Southern novels set in North Carolina. The hardest parts to write and keep consistent had to do with the damage (hidden) to the Bailey House, the bed and breakfast Jackie wants to run.

6. When is your next book coming out and what is the story?

A Wedding Invitation will be published in the fall of 2011. This story has a refugee camp and Winston Salem, NC connection. Samantha and Carson are asked to help Lien, a half Vietnamese, half American girl, find her Vietnamese mother.

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Thank you, Alice, for being in the spotlight with us.

ENTRY RULES Readers, answer the question associated with the spotlight in the comments, then leave your email address for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of Hatteras Girl. If you do not answer the question, you will not be entered.

Question: What do you like best or least about going to the hair salon?

Make sure you also leave your email address (name at domainname dot.com/net). You won't be entered in the drawing without it. If you wish to comment but don't want to be entered, say so when you post.

This week, the contest is open to US/Canada residents only.

Wednesday, October 06, 2010

Spotlight on Alice K. Arenz and Mirrored Image

Don't forget the rules of the spotlights here. Answer the random question associated with this spotlight in the comments in order to be entered in the drawing.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


ALICE K. ARENZ is the winner of the 2010 ACFW Carol Award for Mystery, and she has been writing since she was a child. Her earliest publication was in the small, family-owned newspaper where her articles, essays, and poems were frequently included. In the mid-nineties, her writing earned her a stint with a well-known New York literary agency, and although it failed to produced the hoped for results, her determination to become published eventually led her to Sheaf House.

Arenz also writes cozy mysteries under A.K. Arenz. The Case of the Bouncing Grandma, 2008, was a finalist in the 2009 American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year contest. The second in the Bouncing Grandma Mystery Series, The Case of the Mystified M.D., was the winner of the 2010 ACFW Carol Award for mystery and was the February 2010 ACFW Book Club choice.

She lives in Missouri with her husband and two Himalayan cats.

Mirrored Image
by Alice K. Arenz
Published by Sheaf House

ABOUT THE BOOK

Their faces were the same. Will their fate be as well? Eccentric newspaper columnist Cassandra Chase's uncanny resemblance to a murder victim gives Detective Jeff McMichaels the haunting suspicion that there is a link between the two women--a link that may only exist in the murderer's mind.

Readers, buy your copy of Mirrored Image today!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1. What gave you the inspiration for this story?

I can’t really answer that other than by saying that in one way or another, God gives me the inspiration for everything I write. I know that sounds trite and simplistic, but it’s how I feel – how it’s always been for me.

On Friday, Oct. 1, the company my husband works for gave me a “launch” signing, as they have for each of my books. It was all pretty awesome, especially when the CEO’s wife and mother came in and bought several books and took photos. As incredibly wonderful as that was, I’d have to say that even more incredible was the chance to speak to a “seeker” about my writing process.

It was obvious he wasn’t sure about the “God thing,” but I didn’t let it phase me. I told him about when I wanted to write a cozy like I’d seen a fellow ACFW member write. I’d sat down in front of my computer and started praying. By the time I’d said amen, I found I’d written the first three chapters of The Case of the Bouncing Grandma. I told the gentleman that Chris (hubby) could attest to this fact – to which the man quickly turned to Chris for confirmation. By the time he left that room, I knew I’d made a positive impact on him. At least, I’d like to think I had.

Now, I can’t tell you what exactly led me to write Mirrored Image – I wrote the first incarnation of that story in 1986 – the year the story is set in. But, every year since then, I’ve felt God lead me back to that manuscript, to bring it out of storage and re-write it yet again. My daughter Kelly has been its first editor since she turned 15 – and that’s been twenty years. So Mirrored Image is as much hers as it is mine.

2. How much of your own experiences influenced your characters? What aspects became traits that were theirs and theirs alone?

Very little, when you come right down to it. I observe, read, watch TV news magazines, and then let whatever might form, form. As for traits, other than Cassandra’s love of The Monkees, the rest of their traits are all their own.

3. If your hero/heroine were an ice cream flavor, what would he/she be and why?

I’m not really into ice cream – I know, I know, shameful, huh?

4. Are there any themes in Mirrored Image that you hope the reader sees? Are there any themes that weren't overt but developed as the story progressed?

I’d have to say it all revolves around secrets, truth, and forgiveness. I’d say those are pretty much standard. I don’t want to say more to spoil things.

5. What were your most difficult parts to write? Your favorite?

The most difficult thing about writing Mirrored Image has been all the re-writing over the years – but that also turned out to be the best of the best. I’ve watched this manuscript go from an almost accepted 400 pg. manuscript in 1986 to what it is today, and it was worth every minute I’ve put into it over the years.

6. When is your next book coming out and what is the story?

My next book is called An American Gothic, the tag line is – She came to Foxxemoor to write a mystery, not become part of one. Lyssie Daniels is an aspiring novelist – it’s her “gothic” that begins each chapter, mirroring the action that’s to come. Right now, the book is scheduled to release in Oct. 2011. The prologue is in the back of Mirrored Image.

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Thank you, Alice, for being in the spotlight with us.

ENTRY RULES Readers, answer the question associated with the spotlight in the comments, then leave your email address for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of Mirrored Image. If you do not answer the question, you will not be entered.

Question: Readers, what do you feel is one of the most important thing an author can do to capture your interest?

Make sure you also leave your email address (name at domainname dot.com/net). You won't be entered in the drawing without it. If you wish to comment but don't want to be entered, say so when you post.

This week, the contest is open to US/Canada residents only.

CFBA Blog Tour - Tamera Alexander and Within My Heart

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Within My Heart
Bethany House (September 1, 2010)
by Tamera Alexander

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

TAMERA (TAMMY) ALEXANDER, is the best-selling author of Rekindled, Revealed and Remembered, the critically acclaimed Fountain Creek Chronicles historical series with Bethany House Publishers. Her second historical series, Timber Ridge Reflections (From a Distance, Beyond This Moment, and Within My Heart), penned in her style with deeply drawn characters, thought-provoking plots, and poignant prose have earned her devoted readers—and multiple industry awards.

These awards include the 2009 and 2008 Christy Award, the 2007 RITA for Best Inspirational Romance, the 2009 and 2007 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, 2007 Bookseller’s Best Award, and Library Journal’s Top Christian Fiction for 2006, among others.

After living in Colorado for seventeen years, Tamera has returned to her Southern roots. She and her husband now make their home in Nashville with Tamera's father, Doug. They enjoy life there with Joe and Tamera's two adult children, and Jack, a precious—and precocious—silky terrier

Within My Heart (Timber Ridge Reflections, Book 3)
by Tamera Alexander
Published by Bethany House

ABOUT THE BOOK

Determined to fulfill her late husband’s dream, Rachel Boyd struggles to keep her ranch afloat with the help of her two young sons. But some days it feels as though her every effort is sabotaged. When faced with a loss she cannot afford, she’s forced to trust Rand Brookston, the one man in Timber Ridge she wishes to avoid. And with good reason. He’s a physician, just like her father, which tells her everything she needs to know about him. Or so she thinks . . .

Dr. Rand Brookston ventured west with the dream of bringing modern medicine to the wilds of the Colorado Rockies, but the townspeople have been slow to trust him. Just as slow in coming is Rand’s dream to build the town a proper clinic. When a patient’s life is threatened, Rand makes a choice—one that sends ripples through the town of Timber Ridge. And through Rachel Boyd’s stubborn heart.

From the beloved, bestselling author of From a Distance and Beyond This Moment comes an unforgettable story about faith in the face of fear, about tarnished hopes and second chances, and ultimately about the resilient courage and tenacity of hearts broken––and mended––by love.

If you would like to read the prologue of Within My Heart, go HERE.

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MY REVIEW

Within My Heart is not one of those historicals where you've got a Snidely type character with a handlebar mustache, plotting to tie up the heroine on the railroad track in an attempt to lure the hero into a trap. Instead, until the very end of this book, the tension and high drama are fairly low on the overall scale.

This is one of those historicals where if you're looking for emotion, real characters, and a story that resonates with you long after you finish reading the last page, you'll find it here! You'll read about love, loss, and finding love and life again. The punch of this book takes you by surprise with vivid descriptions and easy-going characters that relax you as the real story is revealed. Then, wham! Tammy throws this amazing emotional punch that sends your head spinning. But what a punch it is! It touches you deep to the core.

And if that isn't enough, you get done only to read a heartfelt, emotional, letter from Tammy, where she shares her own personal story. Sucker-punched yet again! It isn't often that an author is humble enough to open up to readers all around the world in this manner, but her honesty is both touching and inspiring.

I know I'm only cruising for a bruising by reading tear-jerkers like this one while I'm pregnant and have emotions raging, but it was worth it! I'd to it again in a heartbeat...and with Tammy, I know I'll never be disappointed.

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