Preslaysa

About the Book:

Three lives are bound by a single book . . . and the cleansing waters of Molasses Creek.

Having traveled to the ends of the earth as a flight attendant, Ally Green has finally returned to the Lowcountry to bury her father as well as the past. But Vesey Washington is still living across the creek, and theirs is a complicated relationship—he was once her best friend . . . and also part of the reason she’s stayed away so long. When Ally discovers a message her father left behind asking her to quit running, it seems her past isn’t through with her yet.

As Ally’s wandering spirit wrestles with a deep longing to flee again, a young woman on the other side of the world escapes her life of slavery in the rock quarries of Nepal. A mysterious sketchbook leads Sunila Kunari to believe there’s more to her story than she’s ever been told, and she’s determined to follow the truth wherever it leads her.

A deep current intertwines the lives of these three souls, and a destiny of freedom, faith, and friendship awaits them all on the banks of Molasses Creek.

My Review:

What a beautiful story. The characterization was top notch. And since the Lowcountry is a favorite spot of mine, I loved this book even more! I highly recommend this book wonderfully written story about faith and second chances.

About Nicole:

Nicole Seitz is the author of several critically acclaimed novels – The Inheritance of Beauty, Saving Cicadas, A Hundred Years of Happiness, Trouble the Water, and The Spirit of Sweetgrass. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s School of Journalism, and also has a degree in Illustration from Savannah College of Art & Design. Her paintings are featured on the covers of her books. Visit her at @NicoleSeitz, Facebook and www.nicoleseitz.com for more information

A Contest!

Nicole is celebrating the release of Beyond Molasses Creek with a fabulous “Friendship” Facebook party! She’ll be giving away a ton of great stuff (KINDLE TOUCH, some of her own beautiful artwork, a Book Club Prize Pack (10 copies of the book for your small group/book club and a Live Skype Chat with Nicole), and more!

Save the Date! 2/16!

A Rosa is a Rosa is a Rosa

By Regina Jennings

 

I have a bad record of buying cosmetics based on the name of the product instead of the shade. OPI nail polish gets me every time. I go looking for a sensible bronze and instead bring home “Ladies and Magenta-Men.” Yes, it looks ridiculous on my stubby nails, but how can you resist that moniker?

Names and how they are chosen interest me. The original idea for Sixty Acres and a Bride came from reading the Ruth and Boaz story, so it only made sense to keep the names Naomi, Ruth and Boaz for the early drafts, but I knew they would eventually change.

Once I determined that the widow Ruth was Mexican, I started looking for a name that would reflect her heritage. According to my sources, the Spanish derivative of Ruth was “Rut”—probably not the best name for a heroine. Instead I chose Rosa, readily identifiable as a Hispanic name, but familiar to our English-language ears.

Then there was Boaz, or Bo as his friends called him. Now, some may snicker, but I happen to have a nephew named Boaz. He’s in third grade and is quite the ladies’ man. While Bo worked for a cowboy’s name I didn’t want to associate him too closely to the Biblical Boaz, so he was named after another of my nephews—Weston.

In naming the mother-in-law I noticed a peculiarity. Names that sound like grandmothers to me are now being used for children. If I have a Rosa and a Lucy, who is the older woman? Same goes with Emma, Anna, and Dora. Certain names have made a comeback and now bring to mind younger ladies. Rosa’s mother-in-law’s name needed to belong to a mature woman—so Louise emerged.

With all the main players named, you’d think the pressure was off, but no. Sixty Acres and a Bride is a stand-alone novel, but the book had several characters that were protagonist material. As we looked into future plots, we realized that some of the names chosen for minor characters had to be reworked. For instance, Augustus and Nicole would have had a very interesting love story if their paths had crossed, but Augustus isn’t going to get his chance to be a protagonist. Now he’s a wonderful character, but the editors didn’t feel like “Gus” was a leading man’s name (my apologies to all the Guses out there). We scrambled to change Gus’s name before Sixty Acres excerpts were released, and now “Nicholas/Nick” will be the hero in the third book. Of course, we couldn’t have Nick and Nicole together so she had to switch, too, but her identity will remain a secret.

Naming characters is fun, but takes a lot of thought and it’s hard to predict how readers will respond to the names you’ve chosen.

What are some of your favorite fictional names? Heroes and/or villains?

About Regina:

Regina Jennings is homeschooling mother of four from Oklahoma. She enjoys watching musicals with her kids, traveling with her husband and reading by herself. Regina graduated from Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in English and a history minor. She has worked at The Mustang News and First Baptist Church of Mustang, along with time at the Oklahoma National Stockyards and various livestock shows. For more posts by Regina or information about her novel, Sixty Acres and a Bride, please visit her website, www.reginajennings.com.

Sixty Acres and a Bride:

She’s Finally Found a Place to Call Home… How Far Will She Go to Save It?

With nothing to their names, young widow Rosa Garner and her mother-in-law return to their Texas family ranch. Only now the county is demanding back taxes and the women have just three months to pay.

Though facing eviction, Rosa falls in love with the countryside and the wonderful extended family who want only her best. They welcome her vivacious spirit and try to help her navigate puzzling American customs. She can’t help but stand out, though, and her beauty captures attention. Where some offer help with dangerous strings attached, only one man seems honorable. But when Weston Garner, still grieving his own lost love, is unprepared to give his heart, Rosa must decide to what lengths she will go to save her future.

About the book:

After his parents were killed in a car accident, Colt McAllister was drawn into a world he thought only existed in comic books-one where mind control, jet packs, and flying motorcycles don’t even scratch the surface.

Along with his best friends Oz and Danielle, Colt is now training at the secret Central Headquarters Against the Occult and Supernatural academy. But strange accidents seem to follow him. . . even with the security of the school grounds. What first seems random soon turns deadly. But who is targeting Colt?

As the alien invasions increase in frequency and force, C.H.A.O.S resources are taxed to the limit and they’re forced to utilize the new recruits. In the midst of battle, Colt will discover some startling revelations . . . about himself, his friendship with Oz, and why he has been chosen to defeat this alien attack against earth.

My Review:

Although this novel is geared to young adults, I enjoyed every single word. The writing is tight, compelling and kept me turning pages well into the evening! I highly recommend it!
 
About  Jon:
 
Jon S. Lewis is the coauthor of the Grey Griffins trilogy (over 500,000 books in print) and the upcoming Grey Griffins Clockwork Chronicles. He also writes for the DC COMICS family of publishers. He resides with his family in Arizona.

For more about Jon and the series, visit www.chaosnovels.com.
Link to buy the book: http://ow.ly/8wW4O
 
About the giveaway and party:

Win an iPad from @JonSLewis and @NelsonFiction in the Alienation iPad2 Giveaway!

The invasion was only the beginning! Jon Lewis is celebrating the next adventure in his fast-paced C.H.A.O.S. series with an explosive giveaway!

One thrill-seeker will receive:

• iPad2 with Wi-Fi
• Copies of the C.H.A.O.S. novels, Invasion and Alienation

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on February 7th. Winner will be announced at the Alienation Facebook Party on 2/7. Jon will be hosting an Author Chat, giving away copies of the books and gift certificates to iTunes and Amazon.com! Don’t miss a second of the intrigue!

Grab your copy of Alienation and join Jon on the evening of February 7th for an author chat, spy training (How much do you know about alien invaders?) and lots of giveaways. 

Don’t miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 31st!

Journey to Publication By Christa Allan

One of the oft-asked questions in interviews, is “Tell us about how you came to be published.”  My response is the fairly generic, “Once upon a time I wanted to be a writer…” because I’m never quite sure if I should reveal the entire, seemingly endless angsty events.

But, in the event you write or read an author’s response, I’m fairly certain that the timeline below is the behind the scenes, real deal.

Here is the timeline of the journey to publication:

1. You have an idea.

2. You begin to write a book.

3. After the first two chapters, you are so smitten with your own genius, you pause to jot down the names of actors who will [consider themselves lucky to] portray your characters.

4. After chapter two and a half, you decide it’s time to dust the fireplace, crochet the twelve bedspreads you’ve been buying yarn to complete for the past ten years, and start a scrapbook for each of your children, your yet-to-be-born grandchildren, and the family pet(s).

5. You continue writing [or gazing at the monitor] and decide that repeatedly poking yourself in the eye with a hot stick would be welcome relief from the blinking, pulsating, taunting, annoying cursor.

6. You light fires in August and clean out the fireplace again.

7. You remember you’re writing Christian fiction, so you duct tape your mouth closed.

8. You read about a twelve-year-old who wrote her first novel in six days whose agent just sold international rights, movie rights, and rights that haven’t been invented yet.  You look for the stick to poke in her your eye that you’re going to light in the clean fireplace. 

9. You consider a feeding tube and a catheter so you won’t have to walk away from your desk.

10. You reach the middle of the book. You wonder if the same people who told you to not tbuy stock in Apple are the people who told you that you could write.

11. You tug on God’s sleeve and ask Him if He wouldn’t mind, pretty please, pretty please with a cherry the size of unsaved nation on top, you promise you’ll be a good girl, clean up the room of your soul, be nice to His people, if He’d just this one time, you promise never to ask again, it’s just an itsy-bitsy favor. . . could He send a host of heavenly angels to descend upon your computer and finish this novel.

12. The angels must be flying stand-by. They don’t appear, but a new flavor of Blue Bell does. You eat a half-gallon for each thigh.

13.  You hear about the lady who didn’t leave the bathroom for two years and was stuck to the potty seat. You’re sure they didn’t mention she was balancing a laptop on her knees and was waiting for inspiration.

14.  You have to finish the novel because your legs are permanently bent at the knees, and you’ll need the advance to pay the orthopedic doctor.

15. You send off three chapters to an agent. You feel like you sent a photo of your left arm, right foot and the back of your head to Match.Com and asked for a date with Prince Charming.

16. Step #15.

17. Step #15.

18.  A dream agent asks for the full manuscript. You pray. You go to the post office. You pray. You hand the postal clerk the package and walk away like you just left your first-born at day care.

19. You pray.

20.  Repeat step #19 for a few weeks.

21. The dream agent calls. You pray you’re not dreaming.

22. You scrape yourself off every wall you’ve bounced off of for days because YOU HAVE AN AGENT!!!!!!!!!!

23. You do the happy dance for God and because of God and with God and thank God.

24. Your agent takes over and you are oh, so grateful that she’ll be representing you to publishing houses.

25.  You continue to write because you know the light at the end of the tunnel is not the headlamp of an oncoming train.

26. People ask when the book’s coming out. You tell them you don’t have a clue. You smile because you know, one day, you will have a clue. But until then. . . you write, you pray, you write. 

Christa’s Latest Book: Love Finds You In New Orleans is available now.

About Love Finds You In New Orleans

Raised by her grandparents in 19th-century New Orleans, Charlotte knows little about her long-lost parents. Now facing an arranged marriage to a suitor she dreads, she finds herself attracted to somebody else: a young Creole man named Gabriel Girod. Meanwhile, her grandparents harbor a family secret. Will the truth set everybody free—especially Charlotte?

 

Journey to Publication By Christa Allan

One of the oft-asked questions in interviews, is “Tell us about how you came to be published.”  My response is the fairly generic, “Once upon a time I wanted to be a writer…” because I’m never quite sure if I should reveal the entire, seemingly endless angsty events.

But, in the event you write or read an author’s response, I’m fairly certain that the timeline below is the behind the scenes, real deal.

Here is the timeline of the journey to publication:

1. You have an idea.

2. You begin to write a book.

3. After the first two chapters, you are so smitten with your own genius, you pause to jot down the names of actors who will [consider themselves lucky to] portray your characters.

4. After chapter two and a half, you decide it’s time to dust the fireplace, crochet the twelve bedspreads you’ve been buying yarn to complete for the past ten years, and start a scrapbook for each of your children, your yet-to-be-born grandchildren, and the family pet(s).

5. You continue writing [or gazing at the monitor] and decide that repeatedly poking yourself in the eye with a hot stick would be welcome relief from the blinking, pulsating, taunting, annoying cursor.

6. You light fires in August and clean out the fireplace again.

7. You remember you’re writing Christian fiction, so you duct tape your mouth closed.

8. You read about a twelve-year-old who wrote her first novel in six days whose agent just sold international rights, movie rights, and rights that haven’t been invented yet.  You look for the stick to poke in her your eye that you’re going to light in the clean fireplace. 

9. You consider a feeding tube and a catheter so you won’t have to walk away from your desk.

10. You reach the middle of the book. You wonder if the same people who told you to not tbuy stock in Apple are the people who told you that you could write.

11. You tug on God’s sleeve and ask Him if He wouldn’t mind, pretty please, pretty please with a cherry the size of unsaved nation on top, you promise you’ll be a good girl, clean up the room of your soul, be nice to His people, if He’d just this one time, you promise never to ask again, it’s just an itsy-bitsy favor. . . could He send a host of heavenly angels to descend upon your computer and finish this novel.

12. The angels must be flying stand-by. They don’t appear, but a new flavor of Blue Bell does. You eat a half-gallon for each thigh.

13.  You hear about the lady who didn’t leave the bathroom for two years and was stuck to the potty seat. You’re sure they didn’t mention she was balancing a laptop on her knees and was waiting for inspiration.

14.  You have to finish the novel because your legs are permanently bent at the knees, and you’ll need the advance to pay the orthopedic doctor.

15. You send off three chapters to an agent. You feel like you sent a photo of your left arm, right foot and the back of your head to Match.Com and asked for a date with Prince Charming.

16. Step #15.

17. Step #15.

18.  A dream agent asks for the full manuscript. You pray. You go to the post office. You pray. You hand the postal clerk the package and walk away like you just left your first-born at day care.

19. You pray.

20.  Repeat step #19 for a few weeks.

21. The dream agent calls. You pray you’re not dreaming.

22. You scrape yourself off every wall you’ve bounced off of for days because YOU HAVE AN AGENT!!!!!!!!!!

23. You do the happy dance for God and because of God and with God and thank God.

24. Your agent takes over and you are oh, so grateful that she’ll be representing you to publishing houses.

25.  You continue to write because you know the light at the end of the tunnel is not the headlamp of an oncoming train.

26. People ask when the book’s coming out. You tell them you don’t have a clue. You smile because you know, one day, you will have a clue. But until then. . . you write, you pray, you write. 

Christa’s Latest Book: Love Finds You In New Orleans is available now.

About Love Finds You In New Orleans

Raised by her grandparents in 19th-century New Orleans, Charlotte knows little about her long-lost parents. Now facing an arranged marriage to a suitor she dreads, she finds herself attracted to somebody else: a young Creole man named Gabriel Girod. Meanwhile, her grandparents harbor a family secret. Will the truth set everybody free—especially Charlotte?