Amish fiction lovers – Meet Laura Hilton
Author Laura Hilton dropped by today to tell y’all about her latest release! Welcome, Laura. Let’s start with some questions about yourself.
If you could have dinner with one person from today or history (except Jesus) who would it be? Why? My mom. I’d like to ask her questions about things I don’t remember and ask her advice about things. I really miss her.
What is your favorite Bible verse? I have so many favorite Bible verses, it is hard to pick just one. But for today, the one that is coming to my mind is “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10 (NIV)
What do you enjoy most about writing? Almost everything. I love the creating process, getting to know new friends (in my mind) and learning their story.
What can your readers expect from you next? The Amish Firefighter is releasing in May and it will be followed by three more Amish books.
What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful? Review on your favorite online retail sites, tell your friends, libraries, and book clubs, and others about it. Word of mouth is the best way to support an author.
Please tell us a little about your novel, The Amish Firefighter.
Can they overcome their past?
Abigail Stutzman’s life is about to change – whether she wants it to or not. Her mamm is getting remarried to a widower with a large family. Abigail is sent to live with her aenti and onkle in Jamesport because she and her new step-brother had dated and their parents anticipate problems. (Her step-brother is needed on the farm.) Abigail launches a full-scale plan to return home to her family—and Mark—when she finds herself in over her head…and heart. When Abigail and her new “wrong crowd” get into significant trouble, her punishment includes helping a collection of crazy old maids with housekeeping. In the midst of her atonement, Abigail uncovers family secrets that run deep, and realizes she’s not the only one with a pain-filled past. Abigail must decide if she’ll continue her messed-up legacy or embrace a new beginning with the man who’s stolen her heart.
Sam Miller has trouble of his own. When Sam and his close friend Ezra Weiss are in a drug/alcohol-related car accident in Pennsylvania, Ezra is killed. Though Sam survives, he is deeply affected by the tragedy and vows to help other victims. Now a new Christian, Sam is a volunteer firefighter and a college student working to earn his EMT and paramedic license. But Sam has a past. When it comes time to confess his crimes, he finds that the truth may set him free—but it might also land him in some uncomfortably hot water. Will Sam and Abigail be able to find a future together?
Where can readers find you online?
http://www.amazon.com/Laura-V.-Hilton/e/B004IRSM5Q
visit my blogs: http://lighthouse-academy.blogspot.com/ & http://lauravhilton.blogspot.com/
twitter: @Laura_V_Hilton
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Laura-V-Hilton/161478847242512
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/vernetlh/
Where can readers purchase The Amish Firefighter?
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Laura-V.-Hilton/e/B004IRSM5Q
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/laura-hilton?store=allproducts&keyword=laura+hilton
Deeper Shopping http://www.deepershopping.com/index.php?query=laura+hilton&x=0&y=0&module=productsearch&_logmode=Y&querymodule=SPX
Award winning author, Laura Hilton, her husband, Steve, and their five children make their home in Arkansas. She is a pastor’s wife, a stay-at-home mom and home-schools. Laura is also a breast cancer survivor.
Her publishing credits include Patchwork Dreams, A Harvest of Hearts (winner of the 2012 Clash of the Titles Award in two categories), Promised to Another, Healing Love (finalist for the 2013 Christian Retail Awards), Surrendered Love and Awakened Love, A White Christmas in Webster County, The Snow Globe, The Postcard, The Birdhouse, Swept Away, Christmas Mittens, and The Amish Firefighter.
Laura is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, a professional book reviewer and blogs for Putting on the New and Seriously Write.
Cover reveal!
With the release of Sapphire Secrets in paperback just days away, I wanted to give you all a sneak peek of the full cover…front, back, and spine.
Best of all, one of you could win your own copy. Just leave a comment below–even one word will do–and I’ll draw a winner from the commenters.
Best of luck!
~DVC~
PS – For those of you who asked, the drawing will happen on Sunday, April 10.
Another giveaway!
Have you been wanting to read my debut novel,Sapphire Secrets, but just haven’t gotten around to it yet? Here’s your chance to win a free copy! Just click on the link ~
Give a hearty welcome to Ginger Solomon!
Today a fellow Christian fiction author, Ginger Solomon, is visiting my blog to tell you lovely readers all about her brand new release, Broken Valentine. First, let’s meet her protagonist, Sarah.
Character Interview
Book Title: Broken Valentine
Character name and role: Sarah Sawyer Richmond
Life took an unexpected turn for you, but you seemed to take it in stride. How did you do that?
–Author (Ginger) didn’t write all the times I doubted I’d made the right choice. Marriage is hard, and Michael and I had to fight even harder because we didn’t know each other. I think that almost made it easier. And then the fact that we both believe in and trust God solidified our decision to work it out. There used to be a book out titled Love is a Decision. Much could be said about choosing to show love to someone.
What about your former boyfriend, Trey? Wasn’t it a little too convenient that he was out of the picture?
Laughing: Had he not been out of the picture, none of what happened would have. He would have shown up for our date and taken me home like I expected. I’m just glad I found out about him before I made a lifelong commitment. My opinion: If a guy is willing to leave a girl for you, he’s willing to leave you for another girl. Good riddance to Trey and his ways. Michael is all I want or need.
Let’s talk about Michael. What about him drew you to him in the first place?
His kindness and chivalry. I was raised by an old-fashioned family, as you well know. Dad always opened doors, including car doors, for my mom. He’d seat her before sitting. He allowed her to enter a building before him. Well, you get the idea. Michael did the same things for me. It touched my heart from the very beginning.
You were angry with your parents for forcing you to marry Michael. Have you resolved your differences?
Definitely. I wonder what might have happened if they hadn’t, and I shudder. Michael and I couldn’t be happier, but it took a long time. You have to read the book to find out some of what we went through to get here.
A change of direction. What is your favorite childhood memory?
Trips to the beach with my family. I’m not a big beach person, but building sand castles and catching waves with my siblings when we were young, and then playing Frisbee and volleyball as we grew older are some of my best memories.
What is your worst childhood memory?
Related to the above beach trips, one year the jelly fish were particularly bad, and I got stung quite a bit. It hurt for a long time.
What do you value most highly?
Honesty. Tell me the truth, even if you think it will hurt me. I’ll get over the hurt. I won’t appreciate the lying when I find out, and I most certainly will. Somehow.
How has your relationship with the Lord changed since meeting Michael?
Michael challenges me. He asks me what I read. We talk about the sermon. We worship together at home. What happened between us could have caused a rift, but we both fought hard to draw closer to each other and to God. I saw an illustration once. Imagine a triangle. One spouse starts out at one of the bottom corners. The other spouse starts at the other bottom corner. God is the pinnacle of the triangle. As we individually draw closer to God, we automatically draw closer to one another. I keep that in mind as a reminder that I must continuously grow closer to God to keep my marriage strong.
Thank you for stopping by, Sarah.
My pleasure.
Broken Valentine blurb:
Being stood up on Valentine’s Day is not how Sarah Sawyer wanted the evening to go. It only gets worse when she discovers her boyfriend’s betrayal. Accepting a ride home from her attractive waiter goes against everything she’s been taught, but her choices are limited.
Michael Richmond can’t let his beautiful yet heartbroken customer walk home, no matter how tired he is after working fourteen hour days all week.
It might be either the best decision of his life, or the worst. Only time will tell if their broken hearts can become one, or if they will tear each other apart.
Broken Valentine is the second book in the Broken Holidays Series, but can be read as a stand-alone.
Read more and download here: Amazon
Now let’s meet Sarah’s creator, Ginger~~
Ginger Solomon is a Christian, a wife, a mother to seven, and a writer — in that order (mostly). When not homeschooling her youngest four, doing laundry or fixing dinner, she writes or reads romance of any genre, some sci-fi/fantasy, and some suspense. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, president of her local writing group, and writes regularly for two blogs. In addition to all that, she loves animals, likes to do needlework (knitting, crocheting, and sometimes cross-stitch), and is a fan of Once Upon a Time and Dr. Who.
Author Links:
Sapphire Secrets Review
I’m pleased to share this very nice review from a fellow blogger. Irresistible teasers ahead, plus a chance to win a copy of Sapphire Secrets….
Want to read intrigue with a dance? I did, and it was fabulous. Let me tell you all that Sapphire Secrets delivers. First, here’s a brief description.
Livy McCreary has life at her command, enjoying the satisfaction of a blossoming dance studio which she teaches with her twin sister, and savoring a budding romance with hunky Will. Yet, there was a missing piece to her happiness—the mystery behind her mother’s death? Yes, it was twenty years ago. Yes, her family told her there was no foul play, but something in Livy’s gut wouldn’t let it be settled. What about the trauma she experienced and her twin sister didn’t? Weren’t twins supposed to react the same? Did she see something that her mind’s eye wants to remain blinded to? If only she could remember.
Her zeal for truth overtakes her, digging up memories her family wished to remain buried, questioning those…
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Restored Joy
Writing fiction sometimes requires a keen imagination. But imaginary situations sometimes veer into the unbelievable if not infused with a strong dose of realism. How much of your own experience do you inject into your fictional situations? I believe it makes for a more powerful read.
Photo by David Castillo Dominici taken from freedigitalphotos.net
Do you ever feel like your salvation has become just another thing? Has it become so deeply embedded in you that it no longer is fresh and exciting, as it was when you first came to know Christ? Join Dawn Cahill today as she tells us how God restored the joy in her salvation through writing fiction.
But first, a giveaway! Through the end of the week, Dawn is hosting a giveaway for one lucky new subscriber to her blog. She’ll draw the name on Sunday. So sign up soon for your chance to win!
How God Restored the Joy of My Salvation Through Fiction Writing
by Dawn Cahill
You’ve probably known some “churched” kids who, despite their families’ best efforts, simply have no interest in Christianity. They hang out with scary-looking peers and grow tough veneers. They judge others, not by their…
View original post 985 more words
Bragworthy moment
Do you mind if I brag just a little?
“It’s your blog,” I can hear you thinking. “You can do whatever you want.”
Okay, then. I must share with you my 4-star OnlineBookclub review on Sapphire Secrets. To say I was blown away is putting it mildly. After all, it starts out like this: “Wow! Allow me to preface this by saying that this book thoroughly exceeded my expectations.” Read the rest here.
Be sure to catch the comments.
~DVC~
#ebook#giveaway -Sapphire Secrets Cover Reveal!
Sapphire Secrets is now live in the Kindle Store! Click here to see more.
This cover is the handiwork of designer extraordinaire, Dineen Miller. What do you think of it? Let me know in the comments! One lucky commenter will win a free book.
~DVC~
Welcome Author Travis W. Inman!
My fellow author, Travis W. Inman, dropped by to visit and say hi to all my lovely readers. He has a new book out, Shadows: One Choice a Future Makes, that sounds really exciting. Travis, what can you tell us about it?
Secret societies, dangerous passions, and untold millions await Justin “Flip” Grey when he arrives at a banking conference for a weekend seminar. Little does he know he is being auditioned for inclusion with The Lair, a group of businessmen who influence more than the economy. And they are going to test Justin. Enter Dahlia, the world’s most dangerous temptress, who has been assigned to seduce Justin. He must choose his future: his wife or his passions?
Travis W. Inman then allows Justin to make both decisions, and creates dual realities. In the first, Justin remains faithful. He and his family begin to change the world in ways they never dreamt possible.
In reality two, Justin becomes “Flip”, and chooses the seductress. The consequences of his choice begin to spiral, descending into chaos. Evil begins to manifest in his life, and the disaster it brings is irreversible.
One choice a future makes.
Wow, a story about dual realities. Can’t wait to read it!
Travis’ bio:
Travis W. Inman grew up in the ranch country of West Texas and worked as a cowboy for his first 20 years. Travis graduated from seminary in Dallas, Texas, and later served a year in the mission field in Mexico and South America. He returned home and married Sarah, his wife and sweetheart of more than 20 years. They have two teenagers whom they home school.
Over the years, Travis has applied his skills to a variety of fields, ranging from marketing and real estate to criminal justice and law enforcement. Travis served in the United States Army where he overcame a devastating injury and was able to walk again despite the odds.
Writing is a life-long passion for Travis. His short stories and poems have been selected for publication in a variety of newspapers and on Internet sites. Travis’ writing includes children’s literature, action adventure, short stories, one act plays, love stories, westerns, sci-fi, thrillers, and drama.
Travis and Sarah Inman currently reside in Idaho.
Links
http://traviswinman.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/travis.w.inman
https://twitter.com/traviswinman
Book link:
AMAZON KINDLE
Highlights ‘n’ lowlights in 2015
To say “2015 was a year of ups and downs” may invite an eye roll or two. After all, who ever had a year that cruised bump-free along a Texas straightaway (as Scott from Sapphire Secrets might say) ?
Go ahead and roll those eyes, ‘cuz I’m gonna say it: 2015 was a year of highs and lows for this author.
To wit:
- In March, I entered my story Paint the Storm into ACFW’s Genesis contest. I’ll never forget the astonishing phone call I got two months later telling me it made the semifinals in the Short Novel category. It was a completely unexpected blessing. (The teeter-totter makes its first liftoff!)
- In June, I waited with nail-biting impatience for the finalists to be named. Alas, my name wasn’t there. (Teeter-totter bites the dust with a bone-crunching thud.)
- In August, I attended a life-changing four-day summer conference. You can read all about it here, here, and here. On top of all that, an agent expressed interest in Sapphire Secrets. (Seesaw launches.)
- But then, the agent decided the manuscript wasn’t a good fit for her market, but at least she didn’t slam the door in my face. (Seesaw sags toward the ground.)
- In October, two wonderful things happened: I republished When Lyric Met Limerick with a new cover and edited content, and for the first time, truly felt like a published author. Shortly thereafter, my entry into the ACFW First Impressions contest (Sapphire Secrets) made finalist in its category! (Seesaw soars toward the sky.)
- But alack and alas, Sapphire Secrets didn’t win First Impressions. What’s that I hear? A seesaw slamming into concrete?
Ouch.
But now the seesaw is going back up. Real soon now, you’ll get to see the new cover for the much-hyped Sapphire Secrets, and even read it for yourself. At last.
And how was YOUR year? What good things are you expecting in this new year?
Dawn V. Cahill - Hot Topic Christian Fiction 