ALLEN STEADHAM ~ Interview ~ Mindfire ~ Giveaway

Hello Whispers in Purple readers, Author Allen Steadham is my guest today and has graciously consented to answer a few interview questions for us. So pull up a chair, grab your favorite beverage, and join us. Oh, yeah, there's a giveaway, too. 

WELCOME, Allen. Are you ready?

How long have you been writing?

I have been writing since I was ten years old. I began by writing and drawing my own original comic books. I continued this through my adult years. In 2013, I entered National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and created the first draft for Mindfire within three weeks, with the help of the Lord. I’ve been writing novels ever since and no longer have the time to make comics.

How do you go about finding names for your characters?

That depends on the novel. If it’s a story based on Earth, it’s not too hard to make up names. But I have a trilogy of novels set on an alien world. That required some online dictionary-diving to make sure I wasn’t making a name that meant something I didn’t intend in some Earth language. I had to make more than a few changes to make sure that didn’t happen.

Besides writing, what other hobbies do you enjoy?

I play electric bass guitar and sing backing vocals with a Christian band called “First Light.” My wife and I have been a part of that band since 1997 (she sings and plays viola and violin).

In addition to that, I like to take pictures of the sky (sunrises, sunsets, pretty or unusual cloud formations, etc.) with my iPhone. I post the pictures on Facebook and Instagram.

What is your typical writing day like?

I get up early (anywhere from 4:00 am – 5:00 am) and pray, then study a chapter or two in the Bible, then I write for anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes. Then I help my youngest child, my daughter, get up and ready for elementary school. Then I go to work. If I get more time to write in the day, that’s a plus. But it doesn’t always happen, so I make the best of my mornings.

What take-away value do you want readers to gain from your novel?

In Mindfire, the takeaway value is that Jesus Christ is the first and ultimate superhero. He died on the cross for our sins and was resurrected to bring salvation and hope to the world. We can’t find the answers to everything on our own. We need Him.

What can we expect to see from you in the future?

This summer, Jordan’s World will be released. It is the first book in a Christian science-fantasy trilogy. When Jordan Lewis was seventeen, she and her mother were abducted by extraterrestrials and marooned on an Earth-like world in another part of the galaxy. They were taken in by a tribe of friendly locals but had to start over, learning a new language, culture and more. Four years later, Jordan learns that the beings who took her may be on the other side of this world, she and a few friends set out on a quest to find answers and maybe a way back home. But is Earth really home anymore? And what is the will of God, who reigns over all the universe, for her life?

About Mindfire:

 

Back cover blurb:

"For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required." Luke 12:48 [KJV]

Leia Hamilton can move things and set them on fire with her mind.

Leia's father and step-mother tried to hide their past: a time when they were part of a team of superheroes. But despite being disbanded for over twenty years following a series of tragedies, their problems were passed to their children and Leia finds that her future collides with their past.

In the diverse world of human and superhuman, heroes and villains, friends and enemies, some of Leia's choices have terrible consequences. For Leia, this leads to a personal crossroads and a search for redemption.

Not your normal superhero novel, Mindfire isn't about secret identities, costumes, or evil plots endangering the world. Instead, self-discovery and adaptation is at the forefront as the reader follows the lives of the characters who are unafraid to show love and explore spirituality. 

Can redemption and renewed grace weather the flames of absolute power and superhuman strength?

Author info:

Allen Steadham created comic books and webcomics before he started writing novels. He has been married to his wife, Angel, since 1995 and they have two sons and a daughter. When not writing stories or drawing comics, Allen and his wife are singers, songwriters, and musicians. They have been in a Christian band together since 1997. They live in Central Texas.

LINKS:

Buy Mindfire at Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Ibm7SN

Buy Mindfire at Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1123840127?ean=9781620209080

Website: https://www.allensteadham.com

FB: https://facebook.com/jaspecfiction

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mindfirenovel

Instagram: https://instagram.com/allensteadham

The Giveaway: 

Allen is offering to give away a free eBook copy of Mindfire to one of my readers of this post. Entering is easy. Just leave a comment below with your name and contact information and your name is in the drawing. Contest runs for one week from today, ending on Friday, May 3, at Midnight, Central Time. 

KATY PISTOLE ~ Interview ~ Jubilee, The Love Story ~ Giveaway

Welcome to Wahoo Wednesday!

Today we're sitting down for a fascinating Interview with guest author Katy Pistole (Pssst ... there's a giveaway involved, too. Details below.)

 Hi, Katy, thanks for being willing to spend some time here on Whispers in Purple. So, tell me  . . .  How long have you been writing?

I began writing when I was three years old. The name of my first novel was The Turtle and it was about … a turtle. I painstakingly cut out the construction paper cover and my mother stapled the binding. I still have that little book, some 53 years later. It reminds me that I have always loved words. My mother still helps me with my books. She is nearly 80 years old and is my best editor.

What a cute story! How do you go about finding names for your characters?

The names for my characters are often given to me by Jesus. In my most recent novel, Jubilee The Love Story, the name of the horse (Jubilee) was delivered before I recognized the significance. It was not until I read the story through the first time that I realized that the horse leads my hero (Clay) to his father’s house 49 years after Clay’s last visit. I re-read Leviticus 25: 10-12 with pounding heart and teary eyes.

"You shall thus consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim a release through the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, and each of you shall return to his own property, and each of you shall return to his family. You shall have the fiftieth year as a jubilee; you shall not sow, nor reap its aftergrowth, nor gather in from its untrimmed vines. For it is a jubilee; it shall be holy to you. You shall eat its crops out of the field." [NASB)]

That's quite an interesting parallel, Katy. I like the symbolism. 

Moving on ... besides writing, what other hobbies do you enjoy?

I love horses. I jokingly say that I have loved horses since I could see. I love the way Jesus shows me His heart for me through my horses. When I was 12 years old, my parents bought me my first horse. Black Jack was everything I had ever dreamed of. Around the same time my folks purchased Black Jack, they also received Jesus as their Lord and Savior. They wanted me to join them in their faith but I felt no need for Jesus. I had a horse! What else did I need?

Black Jack contracted a fatal illness and was dying. Now I had a need. My mother suggested a prayer meeting and I had no other option. I agreed. The next morning I raced to the barn to find my horse healthy and eating hay. The veterinarian had no explanation. But my little girl heart knew at that moment. I knew that Jesus is real. Jesus is powerful and good. He has remained faithful to me my whole life, even when I was not aware of His goodness or presence.

Today horses continue to serve me as a modern-day Good Shepherd/sheep metaphor. I incorporate rescued horses in my ministry. One of the questions I love to ask my students is, “if I have rescued Scooter, how rescued is he? If Jesus has rescued you, how rescued are you?” This question is a great way to begin a discussion about the very real pain and suffering this life often brings. Where is God in all of my pain? This is a question that must be grappled with.

AGREED! Switching focus again ... What is your typical writing day like?

I am an early riser so when I am working on a writing project, I am often up by 4:00. I love the quiet sunrise, and when I home-schooled my children, the early mornings were often my only time alone. I finished Jubilee last summer and logged over 1000 hours in 14-weeks. I was very grateful for the summer and wanted to make the most of it. When deadlines loom large I am up early, writing until around 10:00 AM. Then I run to the barn to feed the six ministry horses. I race back to the house to work until lunchtime. After lunch, I release my ancient pony (Dreamsicle is about 45 years old) from his stall because it takes him about 4 hours to eat all of his feed. Then I am back at my desk until 4:00 when I try to rush through barn chores and evening feed time. I will eat a bowl of salad for dinner and crash by 8:00 PM. When I have a book in me I spend every second I can on it. I am very grateful for the time to focus on writing projects.

All right, now let's talk about your book.

Retired horseman, Clay Westin, has suffered terrible loss and turned his back on God. His only connection to life is his son's horse, Jubilee who has been lost on Clay's vast drought-stricken ranch for the past year. Can Clay find Jube before it's too late? Will Clay find peace in the process?

Is there a theme verse that holds this story together?

The theme of Jubilee, The Love Story is Romans 8:28

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (NASB)

As a Bible teacher and pastoral counselor, I often speak with folks who are in great pain and angry with God. This verse, in particular, sounds trite and irrelevant and they are often sick of hearing it. I LOVE helping them see the Heart of The Shepherd. I love helping them find healing in His Words. I love walking with them into wholeness.

What can we expect to see from Katy Pistole in the future?

My next book is called Having Joy. It is the story of a woman who has struggled with abuse and pain her whole life. Everyone, from her mother to her ex-husbands, has attempted to make themselves whole through her. She finally has a personal encounter with Jesus who helps her make sense of what it means to belong to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith.

About the Author

 Katy Pistole is an award-winning author and speaker who is passionate about sharing the Shepherd heart of Jesus. Katy is also the Founder and Executive Director of Beautiful Brokenness, a horse-themed discipleship and teaching ministry. You can find out more about Katy at www.KatyPistole.com  and more about her ministry at www.BeautifulBrokenness.org

About the Giveaway;

Katy is offering a free copy of Jubilee, the Love Story to one of my readers of this post. Winner's choice of an autographed print copy (US Residents only) or an eBook. (Non-US folks, if your name is drawn, will receive the digital copy. To enter, leave a comment in the section below with your name and contact information. The contest will run for one week, ending next Wednesday, May 1, at Midnight, CDT, Winner will be drawn Thursday and notified via email, 

HE'S ALIVE! ~ DAVID PHELPS

HE'S

ALIVE!

Be sure your volume is on!

SILVER PLATTER FAITH ~ Alexis A. Goring ~ Devotional ~ Faithful Friday

 Here we are with another Faithful Friday offering from returning guest Alexis A. Goring. 

Silver Platter Faith

A devotional by Alexis A. Goring

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. 

And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;

perseverance, character; and character, hope.

And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

~ Romans 5:1-5 [NIV]

Ever since I was a youth, I’d prayed to God to give me an unshakable faith in Him that withstands the test of time. When trials and tragedies entered my life, they shook me. But as I aged, I realized that when I asked God for an unshakable faith in Him, He wasn’t going to hand it to me on a silver platter. He had to immerse me into situations that would not only test my faith in Him but refine my faith and make it solid as gold.

As the Master Teacher, God knew that He would have to put me in situations that tested my faith in order to produce perseverance and result in that deeply anchored, unshakable faith that I crave.

As Romans 5:3 [NIV] states, “suffering produces perseverance.” Sometimes, God needs us to suffer so that we learn how to persevere and hold on to Him. He doesn’t send the storms into our lives to destroy us; He sends tough times to strengthen us! He wants us to have a faith deeply rooted in Him and the only way to get that is to go through things. If our life was always easy or as they say “peaches and cream,” we wouldn’t have faith in God. We may even be led astray thinking that we don’t need Him, which is not true because, without Him, we would be lost and never make it to Heaven.

There’s a song, “The Anchor Holds” and the lyrics speak to the message that I’m trying to convey. Here’s my paraphrase of the song, “The Anchor Holds” as performed by Christian recording artist Ray Boltz: Life’s journey can take you through dark nights, making you feel like you’re fighting for your life alone while trying not to drown in the open sea. But through it all, God’s eyes are watching you and yet the anchor holds! Though your body is battered, though the sails that help you move through life are torn, though you’re in the midst of a raging sea, despite the storm your faith in God is anchored deeper than the ocean and you will survive the storms of life because your faith is rooted in Him and He has the power to speak “Peace Be Still” and calm the waves around you. But if He chooses to take you through the storm and not lessen the magnitude of it all, know that you will stay safe as long as you stay in faith with Him.

The song also talks about one’s perspective when they’re young in their faith and compares their youthful viewpoint to their viewpoint when they’re older and more seasoned by life. As a person matures in their faith walk with God, they see that God uses the storms of life to prove His love for you! It is in tough times that we rely on God the most and in those moments, we see how good He is and we learn that no matter what happens, He is in control. We also find it to be true that there’s nothing we can do to make Him love us less and there’s nothing we can do to make Him love us more because He is our Heavenly Father and He loves us just because we are His creation.

The love of God is a kind, gentle and passionate force that will change you from the moment you experience it and radiate through you for as long as you cultivate your relationship with God. As God’s love radiates through you, it will draw people who need Him to you and before you know it, God is using you to change the world for the better with His love.

Beautiful, isn’t it?

I hope that you are encouraged to stay strong in Jesus Christ and that you too will ask God to give you a faith that’s deeply rooted and withstands the test of time. Trust me, as time moves on and this sin-ridden world gets worse, a faith that’s deeply anchored in God is exactly what you need to survive!

God bless you.

 Love, 

Alexis...

Alexis A. Goring is a college graduate with a degree in print journalism from Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park, Maryland. Writing is her passion. She hopes that her stories will touch hearts, bring smiles to faces, and inspire minds to seek God whose love for humanity is unfailing.

FAITH AND HOPE ~ Amy Anguish

This post was supposed to be live here on Whispers in Purple yesterday, April 7, but guess who dropped the ball? This whole week has been turned upside-down and inside-out. My apologies to my special guest AMY ANGUISH. This post will remain at the top of this page until Friday morning.

And 5 ...4 ... 3... 2 ... 1 ... GO, Amy!

What would you do if you were forced to leave the town and state you loved and move in with a sister you can barely tolerate in a state you swore you’d never live in? 

Hope finds herself in just such a predicament. In one day, she’s lost her job, her car, and her boyfriend. When she agrees to her mom’s plan to spend the summer with her older sister, Faith, she wonders if she’s maybe lost her mind, too. After all, what could possibly be worse than moving to the middle of Texas?

A little backstory from Amy:

Two years after my husband and I were married, I found myself moving to a state that I at one time declared I never wanted to live in. Texas. I had only visited the Lone Star State once but had met several people from there. They all came across as very arrogant. When my husband got a job down in Austin, I swallowed my “I’ll never” and packed our things, ready to start the new adventure, hoping against hope that not everyone down there was like the few I’d based my reasoning on.

We lived in the great state of Texas for eleven years, five in the Austin area, and six in Tyler. Can I just tell you right now that even though I love living in Tennessee, I miss Texas? The people there are friendly and loving, the springtime hills are covered in a blanket of bluebonnets, and there is no other place to get Whataburger.

When I wrote my new book, Faith & Hope, I based some of Hope’s feelings about spending the summer on my preconceived notions before we moved there. And I helped her overcome them, just like I overcame my own. Hope and Faith don’t only have to overcome preconceived notions about their location or each other, though. There are a few other twists and turns before you can get to the happy ending.

Two sisters. One summer. Multiple problems.

Younger sister Hope has lost her job, her car, and her boyfriend all in one day. Her well-laid plans for life have gone sideways, as has her hope in God.

Older sister Faith is finally getting her dream-come-true after years of struggles and prayers. But when her mom talks her into letting Hope move in for the summer, will the stress turn her dream into a nightmare? Is her faith in God strong enough to handle everything?

For two sisters who haven't gotten along in years, this summer together could be a disaster ... or it could lead them to a closer relationship with each other and God. Can they overcome all life is throwing at them? Or is this going to destroy their relationship for good?

Amy R Anguish

Author of An Unexpected Legacy

Amy R Anguish grew up a preacher's kid, and in spite of having lived in seven different states that are all south of the Mason Dixon line, she is not a football fan. Currently, she resides in Tennessee with her husband, daughter, and son, and usually a bossy cat or two. Amy has an English degree from Freed-Hardeman University that she intends to use to glorify God, and she wants her stories to show that while Christians face real struggles, it can still work out for good.

Follow her at http://abitofanguish.weebly.com or http://www.facebook.com/amyanguishauthor

The Janus Journals ~ H.L. Wegley ~ Character Interview ~ #Giveaway

Hey, all ... It's Wahoo Wednesday! 

Image courtesy Pixabay.com

Please welcome author H.L. Wegley who has submitted the following 'interview' with the main character of his book The Janus Journals. Grab your favorite beverage or a tasty snack–or both!–sit back, and enjoy.

Character interview with Alisa (Allie) Petrenko, heroine of The Janus Journals

“Ms. Petrenko, you don’t look like your having a good day.”

“I don’t even know if I’ll be here at the end of this day.”

“Surely, it can’t be that bad.”

“What would you call it if the day started out with your father being murdered and then you find the assassin that killed him is coming after you?”

“That’s terrib—”

“I’m not finished. This young man, Grady Jamison, whisked me out of town and is driving me across the country—Virginia to Washington State—to escape the killer.”

“I’m so sorry for your loss. But at least you can be grateful for Grady Jamison.”

“Maybe, but he’s a Bible thumper. Well, he doesn’t exactly thump his Bible, he just keeps asking these questions about the so-called ‘human condition’, and he expects me to have answers. Riding with him is like Philosophy 101 all over again.”

“All over again? Are you in college?”

“Georgetown, Political Science. I graduated two weeks ago.”

“Then you must have answers for Mr. Jamison.”

“I could answer his questions if I wanted to.”

“It sounds like he’s annoying you?”

“Yes.”

“And you have to put up with him for 2,500 miles?”

“Not all of the time. I’m reading my father’s journals to him as we drive. We’re looking for clues to find out why my father was killed.”

“Aren’t the police working to solve your father’s murder?”

“There’s more to it than the DC Metro Police can handle. In the journals, I found out who my father really was.”

“Who your father really was? Was he an imposter or something?”

“Or something. My father came to America as a KGB deep-cover plant during the Cold War. The man who raised me after my mother died, the man who supposedly loved me, called me his Solnyshko, his little sunshine, was—it was all lies. Nothing was true. I don’t know what to believe anymore.”

“It sounds like Grady Jamison is offering you something to believe.”

“And that’s why I can’t let myself become dependent on him. I could never trust a man who believes fairy tales about some wonderful, non-existent God.”

“But you’re trusting Grady to take you to a safe place, aren’t you? Maybe you have stronger feelings about this man than you think … well … Ms. Petrenko …”

“You are as annoying as Grady. I think this interview is over.”

About the book:

For recent college graduate, Alisa (Allie) Petrenko, the Cold War never ended. When her father is murdered, he left her with a warning, an assassin on her trail, and his secret history contained in a set of journals. As Allie tries to elude the assassin and read the journals, she learns that the loving father who raised her was not the man he appeared to be, and the man she must now trust with her life is someone Allie must never trust with her heart.

The Janus Journals, set in Virginia and near Lake Chelan in Washington State, is high-action romantic suspense at its best. The dual timeline will take you on an epic journey through the twilight years of the Cold War that reshaped one man’s destiny while creating deadly tentacles, reaching into the present, threatening an innocent young woman.

About the Giveaway:

Harry is offering to give away a copy of The Janus Journals to one of this posts' readers. eBook or print, winner's choice. To enter, leave a comment below with your name and contact information. This giveaway runs for one week from today, ending at Midnight, April 17, CDT. Winner will be drawn via random.org on Thursday, April 18 and notified via email. Thanks for entering.

About H.L Wegley:

H. L. Wegley served as an Air Force Intelligence Analyst and a Weather Officer. In civilian life, he worked as a research scientist at a national lab, publishing in the scientific literature, then developed Boeing computing systems for twenty years before he and his wife retired near Seattle where they enjoy grandchildren, the rugged coast in the Olympic National Park and where he crafts his stories. He is an award-winning author of inspirational thrillers and high-action, romantic-suspense novels.

Web Links:

The Janus Journals link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ND5SZ1D/

Website: https://www.hlwegley.com      

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/H.-L.-Wegley/e/B00B1XMR56     

Twitter https://twitter.com/hlwegley      

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4460203.H_L_Wegley    

Facebook author’s page: https://www.facebook.com/HLWegley     

Many of my readers have friended me and use my FB profile page:

Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/harry.wegley.1 

THE UNLIMITED PLAN ~ Rebecca Reed ~ a Faithful Friday Devotional

The Unlimited Plan

 a 'Faithful Friday' devotional from Rebecca Reed

 

I remember my first cell phone. As a matter of fact, I use it in my classroom for "phone" conversations in Spanish. The kids hoot when I show it to them. It was a Nokia bar phone. The numbers are too tiny for my fingers and the display is about an inch square. Not nearly enough by today's standards. But it did the job. It called people. From anywhere. Or nearly.

Back then the abundance of cell towers wasn't quite what it is now and often coverage was limited. There was no such thing as unlimited service or unlimited data. What was data? Only BlackBerrys really used data and only rich people–or very technologically advanced people–had BlackBerrys. My family was not qualified in either category.

I remember the debate in our family when we finally switched to unlimited data. We had five lines, three of them used by teens. My husband and I barely got any data when we had our limited plan. Eventually, the prices came down enough for us to take the plunge. I was finally able to check my email outside of Wi-Fi. And use the navigation app.

I think we Christians often forget that our access to God comes with an unlimited plan. We harken back to the days when data was limited. We only pray within the confines of our own homes. We read the Bible at church. We give him praise during the song service. But when Jesus ascended to the Heavens, He granted us free and limitless access to God, the Father.

We don't need Wi-Fi to talk to God or to approach his throne. We can "pray continually" as we are instructed to do in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 NIV. As the writer of Hebrews suggests, we can boldly approach anytime we are in need of mercy or grace. Forgiveness can be ours whenever we ask. We don't have to wait until we are in the confines of a church building or in a small group. We don't have to be kneeling at our bedsides or sitting in a pew.

 “¹⁴ So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. ¹⁵ This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. ¹⁶ So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”    Hebrews 4:14-16 [NLT]

The question is: How then will we take advantage of such a priceless gift? Will we remember to call on Him first when life's journey takes a turn whether good or bad? Will we offer praise when we see a sunrise or ask for blessings for the depressed friend we glimpse at the store? Will we pray for our families and coworkers and the world's leaders as struggles mount for everyone? My prayer is that each time we use our cell phones, we will be reminded of the gift Jesus gave us all when he took away our sins at the cross, and make use of the unlimited plan of interaction we have with our Father.

Thanks for reading and may you have a Faithful Friday with continuous access to the limitless love, mercy, and grace of Jesus Christ.

About Rebecca: 

Rebecca Reed is a former jockey and current Spanish teacher, track coach, drama director, and lover of God, animals, music, travel, and all things word-related. She lives in rural Indiana with her husband, Brad, Ziva (her huge, fruit-loving dog), and a multitude of cats, rabbits, and cows. She has 6 children (2 of whom are exchange students from Ukraine), and 2 grandchildren. Occasionally, athletes will adopt her as their “track mom.” She is addicted to audiobooks, is genuinely weird at times, firmly believes that words have power, and is blessed to have been given the gift of using them to communicate in multiple languages and create stories designed to break chains and encourage positive choices.

Rebecca is pre-published but is currently editing a contemporary fiction trilogy featuring a nineteen-year-old female jockey named Lee Russell. You can find out more about Rebecca and her stories on her website: www.RebeccaReedWrites.com,

on Facebook: www.facebook.com/rebeccareedwrites

or on Instagram: @rebeccareedwrites