CFBA Blot Tour: Dead Reckoning + Giveaway

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Dead Reckoning
Abingdon Press (March 1, 2010)
by
Ronie Kendig

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ronie has been married since 1990 to a man who can easily be defined in classic terms as a hero. She has four beautiful children. Her eldest daughter is 16 this year, her second daughter will be 13, and her twin boys are 10. After having four children, she finally finished her degree in December 2006. She now has a B.S. in Psychology through Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA. Getting her degree is a huge triumph for both her and her family--they survived!

This degree has also given her a fabulous perspective on her characters
and how to not only make them deeper, stronger, but to make them realistic and know how they'll respond to each situation. Her debut novel, Dead Reckoning released March 2010 from Abingdon Press. And her Discarded Heroes series begins in July from Barbour with the first book entitled Nightshade.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Underwater archeologist Shiloh Blake is consumed with passion for the water and inflamed at the injustices of life. When her first large-scale dig traps her in the middle of an international nuclear arms clash, she flees for her life.

When she spots a man trailing her, the questions are, Who is he? And how is he always one step ahead? Is the man trailing her an enemy or a protector sent by her CIA father?

Reece Jaxon is a former Navy SEAL and now serves his country as a spy. His life is entangled by the beguiling Shiloh Blake as he hunts down the sources to a nuclear dead drop in the Arabian Sea near Mumbai, India. The only way to end this nightmare and prevent a nuclear meltdown is to join forces with Reece. Will Shiloh violate her vow to never become involved in her father's web of intrigue and mystery? Will she reconcile with her past and with him? Will she allow God to help her through this ordeal of danger, mistrust and uncertainty?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Dead Reckoning, go HERE.

If you would like to read the book, please go HERE

And you can contact Ronie on her Website

Retrospect: The above “blurb” does not do this book justice. Seriously. This is one of those rare books that, once started, I found myself unable to put down. I was totally unprepared for what I found when I opened to the first page.

I don’t know about you, but when I’m book shopping without any clear idea of what I’m after, one of the first things that will catch my eye is the cover . . . and this on is amazing, not to mention intriguing, captivating. Okay, if I pick the book up, I’ll probably note the author, but the second thing I do is flip it over and read the overview on the back. Sometimes that can be rather ho-hum, and I don’t particularly care for leading questions that have only one answer. Those questions are asked here, and yes, the answers are predictable. But in this case it’s the HOW and WHY those questions are answered that are unexpected.

The location is exotic, the plot unique, and, the characters well drawn, right down to their names. Doesn’t Jaxon sound tougher, stronger, with a lets-get-it-done character portrayal than Jackson? *grins*

As a writer myself I love names, and am very careful the names I select for my characters.

There are some heart-stopping excellent twists in Dead Reckoning that kept me reading long into the night. Honest. Suspense/thriller readers, you won’t go wrong with this one.

Okay, I didn’t buy this book. I received a copy from the publisher when I agreed to tour it with CFBA. But, I assure you, I would have bought it anyway.

Ronie, for a first-book, debut author, this one is a hit as far as I’m concerned.

Your Violet Bouquets:

 

Contest: What would entice you to buy/read this book? The cover art? Author name? Back-cover blurb? The Retrospect Review?

Let us know by leaving a comment here along with your email address (yourname [at] domainname [dot] com). To be considered for entry in the drawing for a copy of this extraordinary book, you will need to answer at least ONE of those questions above. Drawing will be held Saturday, March 20. The winner will be notified via email and announced here, so be sure your contact information is valid.

NOTE: A review copy of this book was supplied to me by the publisher. Contest/drawing void where prohibited by law.

Read vs. Write, Part IV: Tiffany Amber Stockton + Book Giveaway*

Sub-Title: The Balancing Act

This month we’ve been hearing from authors who discuss how they juggle their reading with their writing with their everyday life.

Today, please welcome multi-published author “Tiffany” Amber Miller Stockton, who is also giving away a book for leaving a comment here. (see * below)
 

Being an Author Ruins Your Reading Pleasures

That’s right. I’m serious. You might be raising your eyebrows or exclaiming in shock at reading this fact, but it’s true.

I’ve been reading since the age of 3, and I have always loved books. They became a constant companion for me on the long car trips during family vacations, during those lonely summer days when friends were off doing other things, throughout the day when the storms outside prevented any play out doors, and especially at night before bed to help me have adventurous dreams.

But then I went and pursued a career in writing and became an author myself. And that’s when the joy I once had in reading changed forever.

As an author, you become quite critical of your own writing. You also become critical of others’ works, whether it be writing from a critique partner before a book is published or books from colleagues in the writing world. It’s nigh onto impossible to read without seeing the plot holes, grammatical errors, typos or story elements that aren’t fully developed. Where I used to read purely for pleasure and enjoyment, now I read for instruction and development of my own skills.

That being said, it doesn’t mean my reading has lessened any. On the contrary. It has merely changed. I find I am more selective about the books I purchase, keeping them to the historical fiction genre in which I write. Not only do I love reading them, but I can also dissect them for nuggets that will help me in my own writing. Provides me with a two-fold experience.

And yes, I do find that I have less time to read, so I treasure those moments even more. With a new toddler in the house, a part-time job working from home on top of my web design business and my own writing career, not to mention household duties and attention for my husband, that doesn’t leave a lot of time.

I also confess that some of my reading is Dr. Seuss, Little Einstein and counting, shapes or colors. *grins* But it’s still reading, right?

One thing I do is have a book with me in the car for those waits at a doctor’s office or any other appointment. I also keep the book handy at home on my desk, so when I catch a break, I can easily grab it at a moment’s notice.

By far, though, the most common time to read is at night before bed. It doesn’t happen every night, as there are some nights I’m too exhausted to even think about picking up a book. When I do, it doesn’t take me long to slip into another world and get lost.

So, what do YOU do to protect your reading time? And what sorts of things keep YOU from reading as much as you’d like? *Share a comment answering either or both of these questions, then leave your email address (name [at] domainname [dot] com, and you’ll be entered for a chance to win a FREE copy of my latest release, Liberty’s Promise.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Bio:

(Tiffany) Amber Stockton has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood. Today, she is an author, speaker and freelance web site designer who lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart, their toddler daughter and their border collie in Colorado. Amber has sold eight books so far to Barbour Publishing with more on the horizon. Other credits include writing articles for various publications, five short stories with Romancing the Christian Heart, and contributions to the books: 101 Ways to Romance Your Marriage and Grit for the Oyster. Read more about her at her web site: www.amberstockton.com.

*Contest/giveaway note: To be entered, you MUST answer at least ONE of the TWO questions Tiff asked.

Book drawing will be held Friday, March 19. Void where prohibited by law.

Peg here: Thank you so much, Tiff, or do you go by Amber these days? *smiles* It’s been a pleasure to have you here today.

Readers, be sure to come back Thursday to learn about another Tiff . . . Tiffany Colter.

Read vs. Write, Part III: Patti Lacy

Sub-titled: The Balancing Act
Writers/Authors know that to learn their craft—and keep learning—they must read, read, read. Easier said than done.

Today’s guest blogger is Patti Lacy, author of An Irishwoman’s Tale, and What the Bayou Saw. Please welcome Patti as she talks about reading and writing.

Patti Lacy published her first novel, An Irishwoman’s Tale, in 2008 with Kregel Publications. What the Bayou Saw released the following year. Patti’s passion is exploring the secrets women keep and why they keep them. Look for The Rhythm of Secrets in Fall 2010.

Pray, Love, Sleep, Eat…









“Let me get this straight,” someone asked me at a writers’ conference. “You started a novel in 2005?”

I Cheshire-cat smiled, reading the new friend’s mind. “Yes.”

Talk about a furrowed brow. “So you’ve been writing four years?”

“No. I’ve been writing all my life.”

“Oh, I get it. The life experience thing.” Lips pooched into a smug smile.

“No. The reading experience thing.” I waved my hands, soapbox style. “That first bedtime story Momma read, that’s when I started to write.”

Like all of y’all, I pray, sleep, eat, sleep, cook, shop, bathe, exercise, write, edit, talk, counsel, teach. And that’s the short list. No matter how tight I pack stuff into my days and nights, I simply MUST read.

Books befriended me during change-school-every-year times.

Books instruct, counsel, confirm, deny, especially THE book, the Holy Word of God.

Books transport me to new lands for under $20.

Books soothe every nerve ending in my body.

Books have fed the fire that enabled me to write in the first place. How could I desert them now that I need them more than ever?

And now, more than ever, books need me, as anyone who reads the business paper or blogs or Facebook knows.
For me, it’s simple. Pray. Love. Sleep. Eat…

Read.

For me there is no other way.

Contact Patti and learn more about her at her Website

Peg, here. Thank you, Patti! You pretty much echoed my life’s reading experience. I cannot NOT read. It’s impossible.

Hey “Purple” blog readers, be sure to come back next week!

It’s Tiffany Week!

Tuesday, March 16, will feature Tiffany Amber Stockton and on Thursday, March 18, Tiffany Colter will drop in.

Video of the week

Probably the world’s most beloved and well-known hymn. I won’t waste words on this. As you watch, you’ll understand.

And I challenge you to watch and listen without choking up. Gets me every time.

Read vs. Write, Part II: Margaret Brownley

Sub-titled: The Balancing Act

Writers/Authors know that to learn their craft—and keep learning—they must read, read, read. Easier said than done.

Today’s guest blogger is Margaret Brownley, author of A Lady Like Sarah, book one in the Rocky Creek series. Please welcome Margaret as she shares her thoughts.

Riding the Teeter-Totter

One of my favorite grade school past times was to ride the teeter totter. For a split second you and your partner would be perfectly balanced but that was never the point. The fun came from the ups and downs. The highs never lasted long, neither did the lows and that provided a valuable life lesson.

Teeter Totters work best when both sides are equally balanced. If one child is heavier, it requires more effort for the lighter one to get [her] off the ground. The same rule of physics applies to life. If the calendar’s overloaded and there’re too many things demanding attention, more effort is required to get through the day.

Physics, of course, had nothing to do with my decision to follow my lifelong dream of becoming a writer. It was more like madness. The kids were sick, the bills unpaid, the house a mess and I was exhausted. My life was clearly out of balance and I felt overwhelmed and depressed. I wanted—desperately needed—to do something that didn’t involve runny noses or fishing dirty socks from under a bed. But how could I find time to write when I hardly had a minute to myself?

Like a miner digging for gold I crossed off all non-essentials from my calendar. By taking the laundry to the Laundromat, I reasoned, I could write while waiting for the machines to finish—and get through the wash in half the time. I concentrated on things that grew—dirty dishes, dirty clothes—and forgot about the things that didn’t. One dusty table would always remain one dusty table.

Determined to squeeze writing into my busy schedule I bought a stack of writer magazines and checked out “how to write” books from the library. They all said basically the same thing; if you want to write you have to read. I read. I read every night, but I had a feeling that Goodnight Moon and Dr. Seuss didn’t count.

So I stocked up on mysteries, historicals, romances--and everything in-between. Books were everywhere. In my purse, in the bathroom, in the car. I read even while pushing the vacuum.

One day, just as I got to the good part in a mystery, my then five year old son curled up on my lap. He wanted me to read to him and so I did—from my book, not his. Big mistake. After that, he lost interest in Dr. Seuss and insisted I read “grownup” books to him.

Of course, all this reading only increased my desire to write. This meant that balancing my life wasn’t nearly as much of a problem as managing the guilt. Like an addict, I made deals. “If you let Mommy finish this page, I promise to stop writing funny notes to your teacher.” What can I say? It worked.

One day I noticed that my kids were beginning to take my writing seriously. Too seriously. Whenever I hit the keyboard, they tiptoed around and whispered. Suspicious, I demanded to know what was going on. It turned out that whenever they asked for something not in the family budget their father’s stock reply was “When Mommy sells her book.” Just what I needed. More pressure. Of course, by the time I finally did sell a book, most of the kids had left home. Fortunately, no one held that against me.

How do I balance reading and writing? I don’t. At least not very well. Deadlines loom and it’s all about getting those words down. Research beckons and it’s read, read, read. Someone’s sick and well—you get the picture. At such times necessity supersedes all other considerations. You do what you have to do and enjoy the ups. If you’re following your passion, you’ll hardly notice the downs—although somewhere along the line you will notice that dusty table. Nevertheless, it all seems to equal out in the end.

As I was saying to my daughter the other day, “Life is like a teeter-totter.” I would have felt a whole lot better had she not asked, “What’s a teeter-totter?”

You can learn more about Margaret and contact her at her Website.

She also blogs monthly at: www.petticoatsandpistols.com

Bio:  When Margaret Brownley isn't trying to avoid dusty tables, she writes. Teeter tottering between work and family she has published more than 20 books..  A Lady Like Sarah is available now and is the first book in her Rocky Creek series.   A Suitor For Jenny will hit bookstores September 2010.

Thank you, Margaret, for taking the time to share this insight with us.

Friday, it’s Patti Lacy, author of An Irishwoman’s Tale, and What the Bayou Saw. Please be sure to stop by.