THE TRANSFORMATION OF A BOOK ~ Bonnie Engstrom ~ Giveaway

The Transformation of a Book

Guest Post

By Bonnie Engstrom

I’ve tried to think of a different word, one that isn’t based on molecular biology as one dictionary says. But, come to think about it, isn’t love biological? Another definition states transformation is change in form, appearance, nature, or character. That’s more like it.

Another definition is “. . . the act or process of transforming.” It was a process, definitely.

Poor A Cup of Love was desperate for a transformation. It was my third book, a story I was very happy with. The characters had depth. Their struggle had tension. The setting was perfect for two people to meet by accident, fall in love, then have conflict – well, fight.

So why didn’t it sell? Not one single sale, and after two other books that sold quite well. It did have two very nice reviews, but those were from my loyal street team, members who received free copies, but with no obligation to post glowing reviews. Just honest ones.

My publisher and I were frustrated. Well, I was. She wasn’t as much since I’d written numerous books following A Cup of Love. Still, she was open to suggestion when I asked to have a total redo of cover and title. We worked together and came up with three options. I asked for opinions on my Facebook author page. My followers love to vote on just about anything, and they did.

What a response! They were very opinionated. One commenter, Wilma, nailed it by suggesting to put the tag line from cover option #1 on cover option #3. Your blog host, Peg Phifer, made the first comment that made a difference ~ “I like the 3rd cover best. It's warmer and more intimate. Oh, and I adore the little red gingham heart pillows. ♥”

Thanks to Wilma and Peg the book made a transformation. It’s a cover I love that represents love and intimacy. Just what I wanted. Nope, not going to show you the old cover. Just the new one. Please share what you think.

Oh, forgot to say . . . the story is exactly the same. Didn’t change a thing. It’s a story of love, anger, guilt and triumph. And a few Danish pastries. I hope you enjoy it. It’s on sale in eBook this week only for 99 cents. And the print book, mailed right to your home, is a bargain at $6.74.

https://amzn.to/3bEA5XX and https://amzn.to/2xxkY3U

Here’s a preview:

The cooking class was to be a respite for Jillian from her stressful job as a high school guidance counselor. Was meeting co-student Erik who carried a baggage of guilt for his parents’ murder and his unique way of witnessing an invitation to emotional disaster? Caught between “friendship” with Erik and her politically incorrect support of Josh, a Muslim student turned Christian, Jillie almost lost her faith in love.

Giveaway:

I planned to give away a signed print copy, but my daughter won’t let me leave my house to go to the P.O. until the “stay in place” is lifted. If the winner is willing to wait, I will be happy to send it to that person “whenever.” If the winner wants an eBook copy, I can do that right away.

To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment below with your name and contact information (so we can reach you if you're the winner) This giveaway will run for one week from today, on Aprril 8, at Midnight, CDT.

I hope you all will sign up for my newsletter where you can win books and have fun voting on “stuff” (like Peg did), as well as comment on interesting subjects. Last week I had a Reading Challenge. I hope to see you there and chat with you.

Connect with me at:

www.facebook.com/BonnieEngstromauthor/. Win books and prizes!

Website to sign up for my newsletter www.bonnieengstrom.com. You can see all my grandchilden there and read about my writing journey!

​To see all my books please go to https://www.amazon.com/Bonnie-Engstrom/e/B073T2W73M?

Please email me at bengstrom@hotmail.com. I love to chat with readers.

THE DUKE'S REFUGE ~ Lorri Dudley ~ Book Spotlight ~ Giveaway

Oak tree - Image supplied by Lorri Dudley

Danger, plot twists, and reversals, we love them in books. It’s what keeps us turning the pages, even though, we should have turned off the light and gone to bed an hour ago. What’s a book without tension? In The Duke’s Refuge, Georgia Lennox must wrench a proposal from a titled aristocrat, or her mother will marry her off to the reprehensible Viscount of Ashburnham. Georgia has an earl on the verge of proposing when her mother sends her to the Leeward Island of Nevis to care for her dying father. Tensions mount when her sister writes that, in Georgia's absence, another woman vies for the earl’s affections.

 

Authors aren’t malicious, but we do spend hours creating overwhelming problems for our characters. Will Georgia find a way to avoid marrying the viscount? Will she return to England or stay with her dying father who abandoned her as a young girl? And what about the unwanted feelings she has toward a handsome but frustrating island schoolmaster? Even the relaxed beauty of the tropical setting seems contrary until Georgia realizes she might have more in common with the island of Nevis than she’d originally imagined. “The isle’s beauty was alluring, but upon closer inspection, it was conflicted, untamed, and misunderstood.”

While it’s great to have conflict in a romance novel, in my own life, I prefer a peaceful, stress-free existence. Do I have it? Nope. Jesus said in John 16:33 (NIV), “In this life you will have trouble...” not may or might, we will have trouble. So how then, when problems arise, do we keep them from shaking us to our very core?

We need to remember to be like the palm tree.

Picture supplied by Lorri Dudley

In the beginning of The Duke’s Refuge, Georgia’s self-reliant countenance is like that of a mighty oak tree. During storms, the oak relies on its own strength to face fierce winds and high water. Yet when a hurricane comes, the oak can be completely uprooted, and its branches broken.

The palm tree, on the other hand, remains flexible. It bends but doesn’t break. It folds its palms so that the wind passes through and doesn’t tear it apart. The palm also sends down deep and wide roots for a sturdier base.

Let’s look at the second part of what Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble,” but then He states, “But take heart, I have overcome the world.” By the end of the book, when all seems lost, Georgia grasps the need to bend like the palm tree. She bows to God’s will and entrusts her life to Him. Whereas the palm folds its leaves, she folds her hands and cries out to the One who has overcome the world.

When life’s hurricanes sweep through our lives, like Georgia, we get to choose if we’re going to be a mighty oak and rely on our own strength or be like the palm tree and draw down deep from the true source of strength, God Almighty.

Psalm 92:12 (NIV) “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree...”

Synopsis for The Duke's Refuge:

When love comes in a tempest, who knew it would wear pink?

Georgia Lennox has traded in her boyish ways for pink gowns and a coy smile to capture the eye of the Earl of Claremont. However, on the day she's convinced the earl will propose, Georgia is shipped off to the Leeward Islands to care for her ailing father. But when she arrives on Nevis, the last thing she expects is to learn that her abrupt departure was not at her father's bidding but that of the infuriating, yet captivating, island schoolmaster. And now her plans may well be shipwrecked.

Harrison Wells is haunted by the memories of his deceased wife and hunted by the subsequent women who aspire to be the next Duchess of Linton. Desiring anonymity, he finds sanctuary in the Leeward island of Nevis. He's willing to sacrifice his ducal title for a schoolmaster's life and the solace the island provides. That is until unrest finds its way to Nevis in a storm of pink chiffon—Miss Georgia Lennox.
​
As Georgia and Harrison's aspirations break apart like a ship cast upon the rocks, a new love surfaces, but secrets and circumstances drag them into rough waters. Can they surrender their hearts to a love that defies their expectations?

Words from Lorri Dudley:

"Why I write...
I believe readers should be led on a heart journey. Romance should allow for an escape from everyday life. It should also lead us to a better understanding of the human condition and how God views us. I believe readers, like the heroines and heroes of stories, are not static creatures and can discover different aspects of themselves through empathizing with characters' comical mishaps and dramatic misunderstandings. I believe romance novels can depict a fallible human heart that can be made whole again by a merciful creator and remind us of the hope for the same." 

Lorri Dudley has been a finalist in numerous writing contests and has a master's degree in Psychology. She lives in Ashland, Massachusetts with her husband and three teenage sons, where writing romance allows her an escape from her testosterone-filled household.

Connect with Lorri at:

Website: http://LorriDudley.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/Lorri-Dudley-106417244214488/posts/?ref=page_internal

Purchase links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dukes-Refuge-Leeward-Island-Book-ebook/dp/B07XWRK345/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=The+Duke%27s+refuge&qid=1581100112&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-dukes-refuge-lorri-dudley/1133549500?ean=9781942265146

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-duke-s-refuge-by-lorri-dudley

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48346026-the-duke-s-refuge?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=mwT3lQGXkF&rank=1#other_reviews

Lorri is offering a giveaway – a paperback copy of The Duke’s Refuge. To enter, simply leave your name and email address in the comment section below. Giveaway runs for one week from this post date, ending at Midnight, March 4, Central Time. Winner will be notified via email on March 5. Watch your inbox!

Peg here: Thanks, Lorri, for being my guest this week. I used to devour Regency novels, most notably those of "The Grand Sophy" Georgette Heyer. Ever read any of her works?

A HOME FOR FRITZ JUNE FOSTER ~ GIVEAWAY

Hey, everybody! It's

Throwback Thursday here on

Whispers in Purple!

Please Welcome author June Foster as we

 spotlight a book from her backlist ...

A HOME FOR FRITZ

(There's a GIVEAWAY , too! Details below.)

All Brooke Cantrell wants is two weeks to live Brooke Radcliff's life. But the one person who knows the truth resides in the room next to hers at Sunlight Peaks Guest Ranch. When Brooke falls in love with the handsome wrangler who works on the ranch, will her employer's daughter tell him the truth Brooke hides?

Garrett Bowman has finally found peace under Wyoming skies at Sunrise Peaks Guest Ranch. Never again will he return to the demanding corporate life in Seattle, Washington. But will the guests recognize him from the incriminating newspaper and magazine articles eighteen months ago??

                                                                          

Excerpt from the book:

At the clearing near a forest of towering Douglas fir, Brooke Cantrell drew in a long breath of Wyoming air and slowly exhaled. Bushes with red spindly flowers grew in clumps, dotting the open space where she stood. On the northern horizon, the Big Horn Mountains ascended high into the sky, more imposing than any Dallas skyscraper.

A howl charged the air.

Dog? Or wolf? She held the next breath and stood as still as the Indian Paintbrush on the windless day, listening. Had she imagined it?

Rowff. Rowff. Yap. Oww.

A swell of pain pummeled her chest. Only a wounded animal could vocalize such a woeful pitch. What if it was dying? No. She gripped a strand of hair and yanked.

Driven by childhood memories of loss, she crept forward, ignoring all caution. Death had won too many rounds in her life.

Where had the sound come from? The left, the right, straight ahead? She stopped.

Yow, yap.

She darted toward the cops of evergreens. Over another rise in the landscape, a pungent odor, like turpentine assaulted Brooke's nose. She sidestepped the sagebrush growing close to the ground as she skulked toward the mournful cries. She skirted the pond, complete with beavers' dam, then scaled the rising countryside to the forest.

The wail grew more desperate.

What if a dangerous animal waited within the trees? Brooke's knees locked. She had no self-defense skills. Moose and savage wolves didn't exactly roam big-city neighborhoods. She should scramble to safety.

No, what if a wounded pup needed help? One of the working dogs at Sunlight Peaks Guest Ranch? Yet, no amount of help could've saved Rowdy all those years ago—her dog Daddy brought home when Mama died. His furry presence and warm cuddles had seen her through many a lonely day. Rubbing her eyes didn't erase the stinging.

Now at the tree line, she navigated around a couple of fir trees, guided by the sound's source then gasped.

A short distance into the forest, a golden doodle, its paw in an iron trap, writhed and wiggled, then whined and gawked with pitiful eyes.

"Oh, doggie. I'm so sorry." What should she do? She angled a desperate glance in the direction of the ranch, but no one strolled the path. She dared a few cautious steps nearer the dog. In an instinctive urge to comfort the creature, she reached to ruffle its fur then jerked her hand away. The dog might not understand and bite her.

Instead, she lifted her palm in a stop signal. She had to take action. "Just hang on, little guy. I'll find someone to help."

Brooke raced toward the clearing, heart pounding. Not because she dashed in and out of the dense trees but anguish gripped her insides. A suffering animal would continue in pain until she found aid. 

Link for purchase: https://amzn.to/2KzzWdm

Author Bio:

An award-winning author, June Foster is also a retired teacher with a BA in Education and a MA in counseling. She is the mother of two and grandmother of ten. June began writing Christian romance in 2010. She penned her first novel on her Toshiba laptop as she and her husband traveled the US in their RV. Her adventures provide a rich source of information for her novels. She brags about visiting a location before it becomes the setting in her next book.

To date, June has written twenty-two contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels and novellas. She loves to compose stories about characters who overcome the circumstances in their lives by the power of God and His Word. June uses her training in counseling and her Christian beliefs in creating characters who find freedom to live godly lives. She's published with Winged Publications. Visit June at www.junefoster.com to see a complete list of her books.

About the Giveaway:

Who doesn't love a story with a dog in it? Of course there's a little romance involved, too.

June is offering a free eBook copy of A HOME FOR FRITZ to one of my readers who leaves a comment below with your name and contact information. This giveaway runs for one week from today, ending on Thursday, Feb 27, 2020, at MIDNIGHT Central Time. 

Thank you, June, for being my guest once again. You're always welcome here!

VALENTINE'S DAY IN CHRISTMAS TOWN LeAnne Bristow

Valentine’s Day in Christmas Town

Yes. You read that right. My two favorite holidays smushed together! Before I get to that, let me introduce myself.

My name is LeAnne Bristow and I love meeting new people, which is why I’m so excited to be here! This is my first visit to Whispers In Purple, but I promise, it won’t be my last! Unlike many writers, I’m a complete extrovert. The more people around, the better. When my children were small, they dreaded standing next to me in line at the grocery store because, you guessed it, I struck up conversations with everyone around me. My husband hates going anywhere with me because I have to stop and talk to people. I can’t help it. I’m a people person.

People often ask me how my husband and I manage. He’d be happy living the life of a hermit, while I thrive on new experiences. At a party, he sits in the corner while I mingle. When my oldest daughter was stationed in Germany with the US Air Force, I flew to Europe and traveled with her while he stayed home. He is a math whiz, I can’t balance the checkbook. He hates to read. I love it so much I became a writer. Our opposites are endless, but after almost thirty years of marriage, I can confidently say that it works. He keeps me grounded and I push him out of his comfort zone just enough to try something new occasionally.

This year, I have a story in a wonderful Valentine anthology and I have to admit that I used some personal experiences to create my characters. My heroine is a feisty, outgoing, people-loving teacher who can’t do math and my hero would rather stay home and play with numbers. Sound familiar? He’s cynical. She’s optimistic. He’s guarded. She’s willing to take chances. They are complete opposites who don’t realize how much they need each other. 

Before I introduce you to them, let me tell you about Christmas Town.

Two years ago, I was asked to join the Heartwarming Christmas Town anthology and I was thrilled! The Christmas Town anthologies have been going on for several years now and the town and its characters have taken on a life of their own. From the shenanigans of the Knotty Elves (a group of retired women who ban together to do some serious matchmaking), to the magic of a kiss under the mistletoe at the gazebo in the town square, Christmas Town has quickly become one of my favorite places.

This year, we decided to shake things up a bit and do a Valentine anthology. Here’s what is in store for you!

Be My Heartwarming Valentine

Christmas Town to the rescue! An abnormally cold and snowy winter wreaked havoc in Christmas Town. Pipes froze, snowy roofs caved in, and even the famed gazebo in the town square was blown over! But the hardest hit was the historic town library, where pipes burst – flooding the main floor and destroying all the books and computers. While insurance helps, it won’t cover everything. Christmas Town’s solution?

Calling all bachelors!

The Knotty Elves decide a Valentine’s Day Bachelor Auction kills two birds with one stone – raising money to save the library while working their matchmaking magic. From a personal chef to the town’s snow plow operator, there’s one thing all these handsome, homespun heroes have in common: they’re about to find love, Christmas Town style.

The anthology consist of eight connected stories by Harlequin Heartwarming authors, and releases on February 11^th.
Here is a quick blurb about my story in the collection.

Head Over Heels.

High school English teacher and former college gymnast, Karen McFadden, wants nothing more than to open her own gymnastics facility, but a math learning disability makes completing the paperwork for a business loan almost impossible. The last thing Daniel Lassiter wants to do is get stuck with an attention-seeking diva who wants to relive her college glory days, but when his accounting services put him in the library's bachelor auction, he has little choice but to help her. He doesn't believe that she wants to open the gym so she can help underprivileged teens. She doesn't think he'll stick around long enough to find out. Will they realize what's right in front of them before it's too late?

You can find out more about Christmas Town by visiting 

http://www.heartwarmingChristmasTown.com. Get a free copy of the Prequel to the anthology by signing up for the newsletter, which by the way, is awesome! It is full of recipes, decoration tips and all kinds of fun! We also have a really fun Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1091942694272780/
 You can pre-order your copy of Be My Heartwarming Valentine now!

·       Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Be-My-Heartwarming-Valentine-Christmas-ebook/dp/B07Z8CXBWP

·       Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/be-my-heartwarming-valentine-anna-adams/1134146353

(Available on Kobo and ibooks soon!)

  LeAnne Bristow often hid books inside her desk and read during class. When she outgrew Laura Ingalls Wilder and Beverly Cleary, she graduated to Walter Farley and Judy Blume. Then her favorite aunt gave her an old box of Harlequin romance novels and she was hooked. After reading the entire Americana series by Janet Dailey, LeAnne dreamed of becoming a writer. Life happened and LeAnne followed her country boy from a small town in central Texas to a smaller town in southern Arizona. She spent the next 25 years corralling three of her own children and 20+ kindergarteners. Now an empty nester and grandma, pursuing her dream of bringing you emotional stories that make you hold your breath waiting for that first kiss.

She loves to hear from readers! Find her on her website: http://www.leannebristow.com or connect with her at:

·       Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leanne.bristow.1

·       Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeAnneBristow

An Unexpected Legacy, Amy Anguish, #Giveaway

HI THERE, IT'S TIMELESS THURSDAY

Where author guests have a chance to breathe new life into books from their backlist.

So please welcome author Amy Anguish!

There's a #giveaway, too. 

From Idea to Legacy

by Amy Anguish

In 2011, I sat down with a simple question running through my head. What if a guy and girl started dating, but then found out their parents had dated back in high school? How would that affect their relationship? I had no idea what had broken up their parents. I had no idea what the outcome would be (other than some sort of happily ever after – this is romance, after all). But I wanted to write it.

The opening scene was already in my head. A beautiful autumn afternoon in the Austin area of Texas. I could picture several other scenes, too. So, I took advantage of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) in November and hammered out over 50,000 words.

Halfway through the month, I realized I needed to also be telling her mom’s story as well as my main character’s. So, I interspersed scenes from the past throughout the current timeline. I didn’t realize I was writing a time-slip novel. I didn’t even know that term at the time. I’d never been published before and was still very much an amateur in my career.

Still, I ended up loving that novel, despite the fact that by the end, I was yelling at my characters to “quit angsting and just kiss already!”

I submitted it to a publisher who rejected it. But the lady who was their acquisitions editor at the time saw the potential in it. Several years later, she contacted me and took me under her wing to polish it up and publish it through her brand-new company.

We went through the frustration of her encouraging me to change the title—I had originally called it For the Love of Smoothies, but she pointed out that it had a bit of suspense in with the romance, too, and needed something edgier. We went through the agony of trying to find the perfect cover. And I love the final product.

It’s not what I thought I would get when I sat down to write November 1, 2011, but in 2017, An Unexpected Legacy was born. Since then, I’ve continued to learn and published a second book this last April and signed a contract to have a third come out next September. It’s been an amazing journey, but Legacy will always be my “first book baby.”

Several people have asked for a sequel. Well, I have never written a sequel, so it may not happen any time soon, but I did write a short Christmas story set a month after the book and posted it on my blog this week. Feel free to go check it out here

https://abitofanguish.weebly.com/writing/category/short-story but watch out for spoilers.

I’d love to know. If you found out your mom had dated your boyfriend’s dad in the past, what would you think? Would it freak you out a little? Would you wonder why they broke up?

About the Book:

When Chad Manning introduces himself to Jessica Garcia at her favorite smoothie shop, it's like he stepped out of one of her romance novels. But as she tentatively walks into a relationship with this man of her dreams, secrets from their past threaten to shatter their already fragile bond.  Chad and Jessica must struggle to figure out if their relationship has a chance or if there is nothing between them but a love of smoothies.

Purchase link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0996274626

About Amy:

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

About the Giveaway:

Amy is offering to give away an eBook copy of An Unexpected Legacy to one of my blog readers. Entering is easy . . . just leave your name and contact information (in case you win) in the comment section below. If you feel like answering Amy’s question above along with your comment, that would be great, but not required to be entered in the drawing. Giveaway ends one week from today on December 26 at MIDNIGHT O’clock.