14th Blogoversary Celebration and Giveaway

I am super excited to celebrate the 14th Blogoversary of Random Thoughts from a Day in the Life of a Wife, Mom, and Author and want to invite you to enter to win a copy of one of my books and an Amazon gift card.

Back in 2009, I started this WordPress blog on the heels of my third book, 77 Ways Your Family Can Make a Difference. My first blog post was titled “Preparing for a Writer’s Conference”. I followed that post with a humorous one about why I wasn’t a cowgirl due to my adventures on a persnickety horse in the Montana wilds.

It soon became clear my blog wouldn’t have just one topic. Rather, as a person with a million tabs open at any given time, my blog would advance forward in a direction that included a plethora of both fun and serious topics. Encouraging posts, devotionals, movie reviews, writing posts, recipes, humor posts, book news, and how-tos have all been included in the lineup over the years.

When God redirected my path to write fiction, I excitedly embarked on creating faith-filled love stories. Christian historical romance is my first love to write, followed closely by Christian contemporary romance. I don’t think I’ll ever return to nonfiction.

However, nonfiction still runs through my veins, and my blog has, and continues to, feature mainly nonfiction posts. I love to encourage others to join me as we grow in the Lord together.

So, in celebration of this monumental milestone, I am hosting a giveaway. The first place winner will receive their choice of any of my available books in paperback or ebook (see below for choices) plus a $25 Amazon gift card. The second place winner will receive a copy of an ebook of their choice from my available books. Entering is super easy.

The logistics:

First place: choice of any of the books below in either paperback or ebook form and a $25 Amazon gift card.

Second place: choice of any of the books below in ebook form.

The winners will have ten days to respond to my email indicating they have won. If I do not hear back, an alternate winner via a random choice by Rafflecopter will be chosen.

Limited to U.S. residents only.

Giveaway ends May 17, 2023.

With the entry options, you can potentially earn up to 21 points for your entry, thereby increasing your chances of winning. One of the entries includes signing up to receive my newsletter. Please be sure to respond to the confirmation email after you’ve signed up for it to count. 🙂

Check out these other two giveaways currently going on right now here and here.

So it is to you, my blog readers, that I extend a heartfelt thank you. Without you stopping by and taking the time to read my posts, there would be no blog. Thank you for sticking with me all these years and for the privilege of your time as you read my posts.

Here’s to another 14 years!

Before you go, check out these other posts:

6 prayers to pray before you start your day

it’s cover reveal day for Love in the Headlines!

book news and giveaways

5 ways to start your day off right

11 ways we become our culture

11 verses of hope

New Book Alert (and an amazing giveaway)

We interrupt this blog for some exciting news…

Today is release day for Love Unforeseen!

I’m thrilled to share with you Tillie and Will’s story. It’s the second book in the Love Letters from Ellis Creek series, but can be read as a standalone.

One of the things I love most about Love Unforeseen and Love from Afar is that they are quick and fun reads. They are sweet romances filled with faith and humor, can be read in one sitting, and are a perfect temporary escape. Below is the blurb:

Will a best friend’s matchmaking scheme be successful?

Tillie Waller finds her life’s purpose in molding young minds as a teacher in Ellis Creek in the late-1890s. While she claims contentment, there is a part of her that longs to marry and be a mother, like her sister, Meredith, and best friend, Lula. But no matter. With her students and books, how could she ever be lonesome?

Willard “Will” Fairbanks has longed to return to Ellis Creek since the day he left the town with his family twelve years ago. When a job offer at Ellis Creek Mill beckons his return, Will eagerly embraces the opportunity. An added bonus? He hopes to reconnect with Tillie Waller, the girl he has always loved—the girl who never felt the same about him.

When Tillie encourages her pupils to write to pen pals in another town, she can’t possibly foresee how such an assignment will impact her own future. Her best friend, Lula, concocts a plan, unbeknownst to Tillie, for Will to become Tillie’s pen pal under a false name. Tillie forms a connection with her pen pal and even dares herself to fall in love.

When she falls in love with both Will and her pen pal, which one will she choose?

Will love unforeseen become a reality for Tillie and Willard?

In other news…

And speaking of sweet romances, Henry and Evaline will be free for download this Thursday and Friday. If you’ve been wanting to take a little journey to the 1960s for a fun visit and a peek into the life of one of Chokecherry Heights’ most beloved characters, here is your chance! Go here for your Kindle download.

Free free to spread the word!

Also, if you love giveaways, especially the chance to win 40+ books or a $500 Amazon giftcard, you’ll want to check this out. I am honored that my contemporary Christian romance novel, Love Under Construction, is a part of this phenomenal Celebrate Lit giveaway!

What’s better than a garden of flowers? How about a garden of books!

It is super easy to enter, and all of the details can be found here: https://promosimple.com/ps/1c61c/2022-a-garden-of-books

You will want to hurry because the giveaway ends May 14.

And finally, two items…have you signed up for my newsletter yet? All of the details can be found on the Newsletter tab on this blog.

Also, I’m starting a new Penny’s Peeps street team, and I’d love to have you join me. Interested in learning more? Go here.

Join me for my post Are you an Encourager or Discourager later this week, as well as a Saturday Spotlight with a new author friend. And coming up, I’ll be posting Movie Monday reviews for The Inspectors and God’s Not Dead: We the People.

Until then, have a wonderful rest of your week!

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Before you go, check out these other posts:

5 ways to make your child feel loved

Happy release day!

11 ways to be kinder in 2022

the top 10 blog posts for 2021

a huge thank you to readers

resting in the arms of an unchanging God

15 scriptural reminders of God’s comfort

vote for the book trailer you like best and win!

Since it’s been awhile since we’ve had a giveaway…

Leave a comment about which book trailer you like best and I’ll pick a winner from all of the entries to win a copy of the corresponding book!

Is it the book trailer for Kaydie, Book #2 in the Montana Skies Historical Romance Series –

Here’s the blurb:

Haunted by her painful marriage, Kaydie Worthington Kraemer is determined never to fall in love again, and it will take the grace of God to change her mind—the same grace that works in the heart of ranch hand Jonah Dickenson, a confirmed bachelor who has unhealed wounds of his own to overcome.

 OR…

The trailer for Hailee,  Book #3 in the Montana Skies Historical Romance Series:

Here’s the blurb:

For years, orphan Hailee Annigan was just a ragamuffin in the Cincinnati streets, stealing food to keep her two younger brothers fed. Her thievery landed her in a home for delinquent youngsters, where her life was changed, thanks to her teachers. Now, nineteen-year-old Hailee excitedly heads to Montana to be a teacher, yet she’s still plagued by her shameful past and the fear of never seeing her brothers again.

Based on his upbringing in high-society Boston, no one would have guessed that Nate Adams would attend seminary and become a church pastor in rugged Montana. Even now, Nate’s parents refuse to put aside their own plans for his future and accept his calling.

When their paths converge, an immediate attraction draws Hailee and Nate together, even as the pressures and demands of others pull them apart. Can the unlikely pair come to terms with their pasts and face the future together?

While there’s not yet a trailer for the book that started the whole series, I invite you to check out McKenzie, Book #1 in the Montana Skies Historical Romance Series:

Desperate to save her sister from an abusive husband, socialite McKenzie Worthington responds to a mail-order bride ad in the Montana Territory—where God-fearing rancher Zachary Sawyer prays for a wife to share his life. But when McKenzie arrives with a plan that includes divorce, will Zachary’s persistent kindness and self-sacrifice change her heart?

All books are available in paperback, Kindle, and Nook formats.

McKenzie is available at your favorite bookstore or –

Amazon

Christian Book Distributors

Kaydie is available at your favorite bookstore or –

Amazon

Christian Book Distributors

Hailee is available at your favorite bookstore or –

Amazon

Christian Book Distributors

Soooo… now here’s your turn! Tell me which book trailer you liked best and I will choose a winner at random to win a copy of the corresponding book! And although McKenzie doesn’t have a book trailer, you can pick that book if you’d like a chance to win it instead.

The small print: Entering is super simple. Leave a comment below about which book trailer you liked best (or if you’d rather choose McKenzie). Anyone can enter, and if you’re a subscriber to this blog, you get an extra entry. 🙂 The winner will be chosen at random. If the winner resides in the U.S., they will have their choice of either a paperback or ebook version. If the winner resides outside of the U.S., they will receive an ebook copy. Contest expires November 1, 2013.

If you’re on Facebook, stop by and say “hi!” 

Interview and Giveaway with Marriott Cole!

I am honored to have Marriott Cole as my guest. She will be giving away a copy of her new book Grace, Miracles and Chocolate to one lucky winner! I haven’t yet read this book, but it sounds like a must-have for your Christmas reading list. Following is the blurb:

Marriott Cole knows that sometimes it is difficult to trust God, especially during the most challenging moments. In her memoir, Grace, Miracles, and Chocolate, Cole chronicles a life with more than  its share of difficulties while demonstrating how she overcame tragedy through the miracle of prayer, laughter, and the grace of God’s love.

Cole shares poignant anecdotes with accompanying Scripture, tracing her life journey beginning with the details of her first conversation with her birth mother. Despite the horrifying details of her conception, Cole describes how she was eventually led to forgiveness and to accept a second family into her heart. As she retraces her complex life and reveals her unique problem solving strategies, Cole details how she learned to rely on not only her faith, but also her inner strength as she bravely faced widowhood and the terrifying thought of raising seven children on her own,.

Grace, Miracles and Chocolate challenges spiritual seekers everywhere to either develop or rekindle a relationship with Jesus Christ and to always remember that He is with us–no matter what comes our way in life.

“This is an amazing story of God’s faithfulness, love and incredible miracles in the life of His faithful child. …Marriott is a real woman with real heartaches and triumphs. Her life story will touch many, many hearts…” Amy McGuire, author of The Heart’s Discovery

And now, let’s learn a bit about Marriott…

Hello Marriott! Thank you for being my guest. Please share with my readers the inspiration behind your book:  So many people told me that I “ought to write a book” so I wrote Chapter 1 and had it published about twenty-eight years ago; Chapter 31 was written and published twenty years ago; the rest of the book are true miracles and humorous events that have happened in between and since then, along with the tragic death of my son. I wanted other people to realize that when they face tragedies, they can get through them with God’s help and the comfort afforded us through our faith in eternal life through Jesus.

That’s one of the things I admire most about you Marriott – your strong faith in our Lord. You are such an inspiration and testimony of God’s faithfulness.  Speaking of the Lord, do you have a favorite book of the Bible? Proverbs is my favorite book. When it is the first of the month, I read Proverbs 1, the second day, Proverbs 2, and so on. I feel that I have become a wiser Christian and  have more of an ability to do the right thing based on the wisdom I have garnered from Proverbs, which was mostly written by the wisest man in the world, King Solomon, inspired by the Holy Spirit.

I love the idea of reading Proverbs throughout the month! It truly is a great book and so full of wisdom. Do you have a favorite Scripture verse? John 1:1 because it is through this verse I learned that Jesus is God in the flesh; He sacrificed Himself so that we  wouldn’t have to suffer eternal death for our sins. He took our punishment, as horrible as it was, upon Himself! I love Him so much because of it!

I agree and share your great love for our Savior.  I’m going to switch topics now and ask one of my favorite questions: What charity you would found if you were suddenly given one million dollars?

My heart’s passion is for evangelism in hard-to-reach countries. Since indiginous missionaries already know the native language, they can readily deliver the gospel to those who haven’t heard as long as they are able to have their daily needs met, which are minimal compared to the needs of foreign missionaries. Since Christian Aid Mission does just that, I would write them a million dollar check instead of reinventing the wheel!

I love your answer! So many have not yet heard of the saving grace of Jesus Christ. And lastly, Marriott, where readers can find you on the web?

My blog is www.marriottcole.com. You can also read a preview of Grace, Miracles, and Chocolate here and here  and wherever books are sold.

Than you for being my guest, Marriott. It was an honor to have you here!

And now, readers, here’s your chance to win   all you have to do is leave an encouraging comment for Marriott. A winner will be chosen at random. Sorry this giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. If you are a subscriber to this blog, you will receive two entries.  The contest ends on January 10, 2013.

**Stay tuned for the announcement of several winners of some past giveaways after Christmas. Until then, have a blessed and wonderful Christmas season!

Giveaway with Author Amanda Beth!!!

I’m thrilled to have my friend, Author Amanda Beth, as my guest this week. Amanda Beth is giving away a signed copy of her fantastic new book The LOVE Walk: A 15 – Week Devotional on 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Here’s a bit about the book:

 The LOVE Walk is a fifteen week devotional created to encourage and support you in your love walk. Each devotional focuses on a different characteristic of love as described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8:

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails….”

Each chapter includes an encouragement, a prayer, verses to meditate on, and one verse to memorize to support you in your love walk. Additionally, at the end of each chapter there are questions to reflect on for personal evaluation or group study.

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

—1 Corinthians 13:13

 

Amanda is also the author of the book You Can Have a Happy Family: Steps to Enjoying Your Marriage and Children, which I have read and highly recommend. You can find information about that book here.

Where to Purchase:

Amazon, Barnes & Noble (paperback version only) and Amanda’s website (discounts for multiple copies purchased).

Additional Info:

To hear a recorded interview about “The LOVE Walk” and Amanda’s publishing experience, call 605-475-3229 and enter access code: 860983# and then # again.

Author Bio:

Amanda is a wife of sixteen years, mother of four children, and author of You Can Have a Happy Family and The LOVE Walk. God has done an amazing work in her and her family since He rescued her twelve years ago. Because of His unfailing love, she is passionate about sharing His love with others. Every Monday she shares the wonderful benefits behind the truths in God’s Word on her blog. Every Wednesday she shares the Word of God over prayer requests on her Facebook page. And every Sunday she is a guest contributor for Christian Blessings. She also shares messages on marriage and parenting on her website.

And now, readers, here’s your chance to win   all you have to do is leave an encouraging comment for Amanda. A winner will be chosen at random. Sorry this giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. If you are a subscriber to this blog, you will receive two entries.  The contest ends on December 20, 2012.

Interview and Giveaway with Author Keli Gwyn!

I am honored to have Author Keli Gwyn as my guest this week. Keli is offering a copy of her new release A Bride Opens Shop in El Dorado, California to one lucky winner!

I have personally read this book and very much enjoyed it. Following is the back cover blurb…

Love Is Gold in El Dorado, California

Widow Elenora Watkins heads to California with her nine-year-old daughter, Tildy, eager to become a partner in a mercantile. When the mulish owner withdraws his offer because she’s a woman, she opens her own shop. She’s determined to prove herself capable of running a successful business without the help of anyone—including her controlling father, her seemingly distant heavenly Father, and one Miles Rutledge.

Widower Miles Rutledge is not about to get involved with another willful woman like his late wife, especially when she’s his competition. But the beautiful Elenora may be too hard to resist. When another man appears out to claim Elenora’s heart, Miles searches for a way to win her back. . .while putting her out of business.

Meanwhile, Maude Rutledge, Miles’s meddling mother, longs to see her son make a good match. And Tildy is just as bent on gaining a loving papa.

The battle of wills begins, but can anyone win when the competition is more than they bargained for?

And now, let’s take a minute to meet Keli…

Hello Keli! Thank you for being my guest. What was the inspiration behind your book? I’m a California native and love the historic Gold Country where I live. I wanted to bring the area to life in my stories. While El Dorado is a sleepy suburb now, it was a thriving town in its heyday. When I read about the town’s leading merchant, a mercantile owner named James B. Wetherwax, I was intrigued and wanted to know more about him. However, I couldn’t find much information, but being a writer, I could imagine such a man—and I created the hero of my story.

Widower Miles Rutledge has the most successful business in town, the most impressive building, and is well liked, but he doesn’t have a woman in his life. Along comes Elenora Watkins with her shop across the street.

I love that! Isn’t it awesome how we, as authors, can imagine our characters and then create them on paper? Switching topics now – what is one silly thing about you that most people probably don’t know? I’m not sure if this qualifies as silly. It might be considered weird, surprising, or downright un-American, but I don’t like pie. Apple, pumpkin, lemon meringue? Nope. No pie, no matter what kind it is. I do, however, like piecrust, which is probably why I like shortbread so much.

And lest you feel sorry for me and think I’m missing out because of my pie-less state, let me assure you, I don’t feel that way at all. The way I see it, I’m just leaving more for everyone else to enjoy.

What is your favorite book in the Bible and why? I’m partial to the book of James. I like the way he gives us so many practical tips for living the Christian life.

I agree, James is an excellent book of the Bible! And now, for one of my favorite questions…what charity/organization is very close to your heart and why? This is a great question, one I’ve not been asked before. My husband and I contribute to a number of Christian organizations, but if I were to come into serious money all my own, I would make a donation to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. I lost my beloved mother-in-law to breast cancer a number of years ago and would love to spare other families this heartbreak.

I was sorry to hear about your mother-in-law, Keli.

And last, but not least, where can readers find you? To learn more about me, you can visit my Victorian-style cyber home at www.keligwyn.com, where you’ll find my parlor, study, carriage house, and more, along with my blog and social media links.

In closing, do you have a fun question you’d like to ask my readers? What’s your favorite kind of pie? Or are you, like me, one of those rare people who doesn’t care for pie?

Thanks so much for hosting me, Penny. It’s a pleasure to spend time with you and your blog’s visitors.

Thank you for being my guest, Keli. It is an honor to have you here!

And now, readers, here’s your chance to win A Bride Opens Shop in El Dorado, California.  All you have to do is answer Keli’s question in a comment. A winner will be chosen at random. Sorry this giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian residents only. If you are a subscriber to this blog, you will receive two entries.  The contest ends on December 13, 2012.

Interview and book giveaway with Author Sharon Srock!

I am excited to have author Sharon Srock on my blog today. Sharon is giving away a copy of her new book Callie, Book One of the series, Women of Valley View. More on that later. For now, let’s find out about this fantastic-sounding book, which I have not yet had the privilege of reading…

Three dire circumstances. Three desperate prayers. One miracle to save them all.Callie Stillman is drawn to the evasive girl who’s befriended her granddaughter, but the last time Callie tried to help a child, her efforts backfired. Memories of the tiny coffin still haunt her.Samantha and Iris Evans should be worried about homework, not whether they can pool enough cash to survive another week of caring for an infant while evading the authorities.Steve Evans wants a second chance at fatherhood, but his children are missing.  And no one seems to want to help the former addict who deserted his family.

For Steve to regain the relationship he abandoned, for his girls to receive the care they deserve, Callie must surrender her fear and rely on God to work the miracle they all need.

And, now let’s meet the author behind this fantastic new series! Welcome to my blog, Sharon. It’s great to have you here. Would you share with my readers your inspiration behind your book?I don’t even know how to answer that question. Before I started Callie’s story, I hadn’t written anything in almost 20 years. Once God nudged me back to my keyboard, I just started typing. There is no one thing I can point to that drove me in a particular direction. I was teaching Sunday school at the time, so writing about a teacher and her students seemed natural, but I’ve never encountered anyone like Samantha and Iris. I like to think it was a God thing.

I love that! Speaking of the Lord, what is my favorite book in the Bible?  Why? Wow I have a favorite chapter (John 17) and a favorite verse (Proverbs 13:12) but I never thought about a favorite book.

Probably Proverbs. There’s just so much wisdom there. Regardless of the season in your life you can go there and find something that applies to your life and uplifts. So much of it is just common sense applicable.

I love the book of Proverbs too. So many timeless truths! All right, on to my favorite question… if you were suddenly given a million dollars to found a new charity, what charity would you found and why? Something to do with litteracy. Not necessarily something to teach people to read, but something to interest people in reading. I grew up with books. I experianced things and visited places in their pages that I’ll never do or see in real life. I can’t imagine my life without that. That’s hard to explain to someone who doesn’t read for pleasure. It’s sort of like being saved. You’ll never really “get it” until you experiance it.

Where can readers find you?

Visit my BLOG at: http://www.womenofvalleyview.blogspot.com/
Connect with me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SharonSrock#!/SharonSrock
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/SharonSrock
Find me on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6448789.Sharon_Srock

Thank you so much for being my guest, Sharon. It has been an honor to have you here!

Readers, Sharon has generously offered a free background file of the Women of Valley View, so be sure to check it out here.

And now, readers, here’s your chance to win Callie,  all you have to do is leave an encouraging comment for Sharon. A winner will be chosen at random. Sorry this giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. If you are a subscriber to this blog, you will receive two entries.  The contest ends on November 29, 2012.

Book Giveaway of 140 Books!!!

Hello Everyone!

Hope your week is off to a great start.  I am thrilled to be a part of Book Fun Magazine’s Signature Library Contest extravaganza…

Book Fun Magazine is giving away 140 books by more than 100 authors of which I am one of. The Signature Library Contest details can be found in the magazine. One winner will get first choice of 30 books, the next person 20, 5 people will pick 10…. it will be awesome. Just register for the magazine and you are entered… 80 pages of great articles too!

Book Fun Magazine really is a fantastic  and professionally compiled magazine that informs readers and book clubs, but it also helps writers as well. In the November issue, best-selling author Liz Curtis Higgs graces the cover and there are even some tasty recipes, a book review, and articles about thankfulness and about establishing a family book club. And one of the best parts about the magazine – it’s free! (but you do have to sign up to receive it. 🙂

Speaking of which, while you are visiting the Book Fun Magazine, would you please click on my book cover for McKenzie? By doing so, you will help me to win a fun competition between the authors. (Hint…McKenzie is at the top of page 64 in the magazine 🙂 By clicking on McKenzie in the actual Book Fun Magazine, it will take you to my website. Here is the link for for more details: http://www.bookfun.org/ and a direct link to the magazine: http://www.bookfunmagazine.com/i/90331

Thank you for taking the time to enter this contest…I can’t wait to see who wins all of those books!

And the winners are…

Ooooohhhh! I love to announce winners! And this week I have two to announce…

First of all, thank you to everyone who stopped by to leave a comment. I appreciate you all sooooo much and I know my author friends do too. All right, and now for the winners…

The winner of Lisa Buffaloe’s touching book Nadia’s Hope is Mary Ann Frerichs!

And the winner of Darlene Franklin’s historical romance novel A Bride’s Rogue in Roma, Texas is Maxie Lloyd Hamilton Anderson!

Both of these books are definitely worth the read, so if you didn’t win, check them out on Amazon or anywhere books are sold.

Also, if you haven’t signed up to win Deb Raney’s fantastic three-book collection, there’s still time! Just go here.

Join me every other Thursday for interviews and giveaways with some of my favorite author friends.

Interview and Giveaway with Author Deb Raney – 3 book giveaway!

I’m super excited to welcome Author Deb Raney to my blog and she is giving away, not one, not two, but THREE books. Yes, you read correctly! Deb is giving away a copy of each of the three books in her Hanover Falls Series.

Here is a bit about this awesome series:

An unlikely group of people are drawn together to cope with the tragic aftermath of a fatal fire at a downtown homeless shelter in Hanover Falls, Missouri. Four widows, one widower, a battalion chief, and a son of one of the heroic firefighters—a rookie fireman himself—struggle to make sense of their broken lives in the midst of discovering the mystery surrounding the fire that destroyed their dreams and their futures.

 

Doesn’t this sound like a series to be added to your TBR list? And now, let’s take a minute and meet the author behind the books…

Thank you for being with us today, Deb. It is such an honor to have you here discussing with my readers your latest series. Speaking of which, what was your inspiration behind your Hanover Falls Series? A few years ago, my husband placed a newspaper clipping beside my plate at breakfast one morning, the story of nine firefighters who died in a tragic blaze in South Carolina. “I think there’s something worth exploring here,” he said. I began thinking how the tragedy would change the lives of those firefighters’ families, yet how they would pull together, because the firefighting world is a “family” unto itself, and before long, the Hanover Falls series was putting itself together in my mind. My niece is married to a firefighter whose family has a proud history of serving as firefighters and my nephew-in-law was an invaluable resource to me, sharing stories and details about the world of firefighting, and loaning me his training manuals for most of the three years I was writing these books.

I love hearing the inspiration behind books, Deb! Do you have a favorite book in the series? A favorite character? I am learning that I’m a little fickle when it comes to books. At one time, I would have said that Almost Forever, the first book in the series, was my favorite, but with After All (book 3) just released with a nice review from Publishers Weekly and readers responding so favorably, now I’m leaning toward After All as my favorite. I really love my “middle child” Forever After, too! Fickle, I tell you!

I completely understand! I can never answer that question when I’m asked to choose which book I like most in my Montana Skies Series. Speaking of books, what is your favorite verse in the Bible and why? For several years now, I’ve thought I really should change my “favorite verse” because it seems like my verse is everyone’s favorite verse: Romans 8:28. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. And yet, that verse has been so foundational in my life that I want to shout it from the rooftops. It’s wonderful to know that even when I can’t see anything good in a certain circumstance, God’s intention for me is good. And everything that happens to me serves HIS purpose for my life. That’s a truth you can live by!

That is such a great verse!  And now, for my favorite question… if you were suddenly given one million dollars, what charity would you like to found and why? I don’t suppose I could talk you into letting me found the Deborah Raney Travel Through Europe Fund, could I? Well, in that case, I would want to fund a charity that provides workers to rebuild Haiti. My parents served on the board of an organization that supported a girls’ home in Haiti, and for more than a quarter of a century, they spent a week or two every winter working at that orphanage. Twice my family and I were scheduled to go with my Dad to spend time at the girls’ home near Port au Prince (I was researching my novel, Over the Waters, set in Haiti) but both times the trip was cancelled at the last minute due to unrest in Haiti. But because of my parents, I have a heart for the country and people of Haiti. What amazes me is how much an American dollar can accomplish in that poverty-stricken nation. We have so much and are so often discontent. They have so little, and seem always to be smiling. There’s a lesson there!

What a wonderful idea for a ministry – and I loved learning about your parents and their ministry to Haiti. Lastly, where can readers connect with you?

http://www.deborahraney.com

https://www.facebook.com/deborah.raney

https://twitter.com/authordebraney

http://novelgarden.blogspot.com

Thank you again for being here, Deb. You are truly an inspiration!

Deborah’s first novel, A Vow to Cherish, inspired the World Wide Pictures film of the same title and launched her writing career after 20 happy years as a stay-at-home mom. Her books have won numerous awards including the RITA, National Readers Choice Award, HOLT Medallion, the Carol Award, and have twice been Christy Award finalists. Deb’s 23rd novel will release from Howard/Simon & Schuster Spring 2013. She and her husband, Ken Raney, enjoy the wildflowers and native grasses in the Kansas prairie garden in their large backyard. They also love traveling together to teach at conferences, and to visit four children and four small grandchildren who all live much too far away.

And now, readers, here’s your chance to win all THREE books in Deb’s Hanover Fall’s Series! All you have to do is leave an encouraging comment for Deborah. A winner will be chosen at random. Sorry this giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. If you are a subscriber to this blog, you will receive two entries.  The contest ends on October 25, 2012.

Also, stay tuned as I will be announcing the winners of Lisa Buffaloe’s book Nadia’s Hope and Darlene Franklin’s book A Bride’s Rogue in Roma, Texas tomorrow.