Introduction to Christian fiction author Terri Haynes

Today is a quick introduction to Christian fiction novelist Terri Haynes today.

As she does an introductory virtual tour with Write Now Literary, Terri will be giving away one (1) autographed copy of her novel Captured plus a magnet and a bookmark. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too! The contest ends Oct 9 at midnight.

A little bit about Captured:

FBI agent Will Anderson is working his last human trafficking case before he leaves his painful past. Social activist Savannah Elliott thinks she has escaped hers by helping human trafficking victims regain their freedom. When a case unites them, can they overcome their scars and find love.

Author bio:

Terri J. Haynes, a native Baltimorean, is a homeschool mom, writer, prolific knitter, freelance graphic artist and former Army wife (left the Army, not the husband). She loves to read, so much that when she was in elementary school, she masterminded a plan to be locked in a public library armed with only a flashlight to read all the books and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. As she grew, her love for writing grew as she tried her hand at poetry, articles, speeches and fiction. She is storyteller at heart. Her passion is to draw readers in the story world she has created and to bring laughter and joy to their lives.

Terri is a 2010 American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis contest finalist, and a 2012 semi-finalist. She is also a 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Quarterfinalist. Her publishing credits include Cup of Comfort for Military Families, Crosswalk.com, the Secret Place Devotional, Urbanfaith.com, Vista Devotional, and Publisher’s Weekly.

Terri holds a Bachelor's Degree in Theology, a Master's degree in Theological Studies and a certificate in creative writing and graphic design, meeting the minimal requirements of being a geek. She and her husband pastor a church where she serves as executive pastor and worship leader. Terri lives in Maryland with her three wonderful children and her husband, who often beg her not to kill of their favorite characters.

Social links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Trailer 

Buy links for Captured:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author Terri J. Haynes and is hosted and managed by Paulette from Write Now Literary Book Tours. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send an email to Paulette @ pharperjohnson@gmail.com

New interview with novelist Kathryn Elizabeth Jones

A nice welcome back to novelist Kathryn Elizabeth Jones as we chat about her newest novel, The Gift: A Parable of the Key.

A little bit about Kathryn:

Kathryn has been a published writer since 1987. She graduated from the University of Utah with a B.S. in Mass Communication and a minor in Creative Writing. Her studies included work in creative writing, public relations and journalism. In 2012, she opened the doors to Idea Creations Press, a publishing services company that caters to writers and their writing, publishing, and marketing needs.

Welcome back to Reviews and Interviews.

Thanks!

Please tell us about your newest release.

The Gift: A Parable of the Key is the last book in the Parable series about Virginia and her struggles to overcome life's challenges. With the help of the five stones, Listening, Trust, Optimism, Tenacity and Constancy, Virginia learns with the help of God all things are possible. Though losing their baby has presented Virginia and her husband, Richard, with the greatest challenge of all - they soon discover that with God's help, they can yet - heal.

What inspired you to write this book?

I knew there was one more story to Virginia's life that needed to be told. In the first book, she loses her job - a difficult struggle to say the least - but not the most difficult struggle on the planet. In book 2, she isn't able to have a child and by the end of the book we see a miracle happening in the life of Virginia. We think all is settled and good, but in life there are always opportunities to stretch - to become something more. The Gift is all about that.

What’s the next writing project?

I am working on a book with a friend of mine entitled, Heaven 24/7. A book of true stories about living heaven on earth. I am also working on book 3 in my mystery series. This book is titled, Hard Boiled, and returns Susan home from her honeymoon only to find that her ex-husband has been killed.

What is your biggest challenge when writing a new book?

Probably the hardest part for me is the mid-section of the book; keeping the tension going, the scenes interesting, connected and engaging. I don't want to lose the writer mid-way through the book.

If your novels require research – please talk about the process. Do you do the research first and then write, while you’re writing, after the novel is complete and you need to fill in the gaps?

Research is a big deal. I usually start my book, and fill in what I learn through research on the way. I find that if I sit down to plan my entire book including all of the research I need for it, I get bogged down and don't want to start writing it. By just getting in there and writing I find that I am able to fill in the gaps that I don't know as I go, by stopping the story and researching what I need for the next scene.

What’s your writing space like? Do you have a particular spot to write where the muse is more active? Please tell us about it.

I do have a writing office - a place I also bring writing clients, however, it's in dire need of some fix-ups. The carpet has been pulled up and the walls need some painting. We are remodeling the kitchen and my office will come next - probably sometime next year when we put in the kitchen floors that will be the same in the office. Until then, I keep the place as neat and clean as possible, and all of my clients know that the office is a work-in-progress.

What authors do you enjoy reading within or outside of your genre?

I enjoy C.S. Lewis and have just come upon Beverly Lewis (she writes Amish fiction). I really don't have an affinity with authors with the last name of Lewis, it's just what's been connecting with me recently. I also enjoy any book that will help me to draw closer to God.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers today?

I appreciate so much the readers who enjoy my work and have told me that they do. I have many who also do book reviews, which I appreciate as well. As an author, you do all you can to connect with readers and want your books to be something that the reader remembers, for all of the good reasons.

Thank you for coming back to Reviews and Interviews!

You're welcome! I've had a great time!

Interview with Christian fiction author Keleigh Crigler Hadley

Today’s special guest is Christian fiction author Keleigh Crigler Hadley. I have her in the hot seat to tell us about her newest book, What You Won’t Do for Love

Welcome, Keleigh. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

If I were to define myself in one sentence, I would say, "I'm a girl who loves to see God working."

I write soul-stirring fiction, with real characters that stay with readers long after they have closed the book, (or turned the e-reader off.)

I contributed with Reshonda Tate Billingsley, to the award-winning anthology, The Motherhood Diaries, and have written the best-selling YA series, Preacher’s Kids and the stand alone novel, Revenge Inc.

Please tell us about your current release.

What You Won’t Do For Love is the story about how love forces us to make difficult choices. Eden Price has finds herself in the midst of a heated love triangle. One man connects with her soul and the other with her heart. She chooses one, (it would spoil the fun if I told you which one), but the honeymoon period is cut short, because he falls deathly ill and asks her to him out of his misery.

What inspired you to write this book?

Actually, it was a ‘who’ not a what for me. Two real-life women who wrestled with assisted suicide because of their conditions. Kara Tippetts and Brittany Maynard.

Excerpt from What You Won’t Do for Love:

Chapter 1

“A hard head makes a soft behind.” That was the second to the last thing, Edward Price said to his only child, Eden. “So make wise choices using your heart, soul and mind.” The last thing he said, as his lungs rattled and he struggled to breathe was, “Take care of people, especially your mother.”

Back then, those were two difficult tasks to place on Eden’s fifteen year old shoulders, and eighteen years later, she was still struggling to comply.

Now, Eden stood, dressed in her favorite green scrubs in front of the vending machine, next to the triage station at New Mercies Hospital and contemplated her father’s dying advice.

She tapped her chipped fingernails against the glass. She had achieved part of her father’s dying wish – she had become a nurse and lived to help people.

But she seemed to fail in the second part, since she was behind in her payments to the run-down convalescent home her mother was living in.

As for the second to the last thing…

Should she get the Kit Kat or the Mars Bar? Tough choice. They both would give her a softer, bigger, behind which she didn’t need. God had already given bountifully in that area. It’s the reason Eden wore a medium scrub top and a large scrub bottom. Her blessing and her curse. Eden sighed, blew a stray strand of curly auburn hair out of her face and slid a dollar into the machine. She keyed in E6 – the granola bar.

Happy daddy?

But before the proper choice could fall, the emergency room doors glided open with a hiss and a young woman stumbled in with a semi-conscious older woman.

“Help me!” Before the young woman collapsed onto the yellow tile floor, she locked eyes with Eden and conveyed such a look of unknowable fear, Eden’s palms began to sweat.

Eden’s body became a cauldron of tension. Her heart revved into overdrive, adrenaline flowed and her hunger forgotten as she scrambled to get a gurney.

“The Pit is hopping tonight!” Another nurse exclaimed in response to the unusual number of critical cases, they had seen that night.

“Can you tell me your name?” Eden helped the young lady onto the stretcher as the rest of the team assembled. Working swiftly and at life-saving speed, they placed both women on separate gurneys.

As nurses checked her heart rate, blood oxygen, and breath sounds, Eden tried to get some information from her.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen.” The young woman ran her fingers through her greasy and stringy brown hair. Her words spilled lazily out of her mouth. “Today’s my birthday. See?” The woman tried to point to a button in the middle of her shirt, but her aim was off and her finger landed on her chin. The button read, ‘Keep Calm, It’s Michelle’s 21st Birthday.’ “This isn’t right,” she slurred. “It’s my birthday!” She squinted her eyes as the bright overhead lights swung into place and the medical team began to poke, pull, prod and place things.

Eden leaned closer and was almost knocked over by the pungent smell of alcohol. It was so strong it made her eyes water.

Eden turned to look over at the older woman, still unconscious on the gurney and saw another nurse scrunch her nose at the smell coming from her. In the pit of Eden’s stomach she knew death was close.

“Michelle, is that your name? Can you tell me what happened to your friend?”

The young lady wobbled her head back and forth. “Not my friend. That’s my mama.” Michelle stretched her hand out. “Mama!” She wailed.

Eden exchanged a glance with her best friend, Kym Chan, a Physician’s Assistant. Kym held up a blood alcohol meter that read .092, several points higher than the legal limit. Eden glanced over at the mother, whose skin has a light blue tinge, on the other gurney. Her alcohol level was .291. Her body was drowning in alcohol.

“Alright, what happened to your mother? What have you been drinking?”

“Her name is Grace,” Michelle’s red eyes began to water as her face contorted into pain, “and she’s amazing!” Then, her face morphed again and Michelle smiled and blinked slowly. “That’s the line she always gave cute guys.”

“What do we have here?” An attendee walked in as she applied gloves to her hands.

A resident piped up, “The patient presented with blue tinged skin, hypothermia, and traces of vomit around her mouth. It looks like a case of severe alcohol poisoning. The older woman’s blood sugar levels are non-existent, and she’s non-responsive to pain stimuli.”

What exciting story are you working on next?

A Christmas novella, The Million Dollar Christmas Kiss, and a novel, The Reluctant Mistress.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Not until I published my first book in 2006.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Gum. Must chew several pieces all day.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A doctor. My degree is in Biology. Still love the intricacies of the human body.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Connect with me. Let me know what you’re reading. I am an avid reader and I am always searching for a good book.

Links:

Facebook | Twitter | Amazon Author Page | Amazon buy link 

Thank you, Keleigh! Happy writing!

Virtual tour sponsored by:

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Interview with Christian novelist Ian Dexter Palmer

I'm wrapping the week up with an interview with Christian novelist Ian Palmer. We're focused on his newest book, a teenage redemption story called Weed and Water.

Bio:

Originally from Australia, Ian lives in the high desert in his beloved Southwest USA. As a petroleum engineer, recently retired, he consulted all over the world. When he hikes with them or watches them play sports, Ian’s grandchildren are a particular source of happiness. His main interests are hiking, dancing, writing, and stimulating conversation. Ian regularly writes a new blog on various topics relating to Christian faith, and has also written a book called Hiking Toward Heaven.

Welcome, Ian. Please tell us about your current release.

Weed and Water is about a teen athlete called Ethan who goes down because of shame which leads to sex and drugs. As well as hurting himself, the boy brings heartbreak to his single mom who is doing her best. A mysterious stranger called Jackson, who is more than he appears to be, challenges Ethan about his choices, and offers a way out. But Ethan continues to yo-yo, unsure of who or what he can trust. The story, which is set in the desert Southwest and in the rivers and lakes of the Midwest, rocks and rolls with tension and geographical adventure.

What inspired you to write this book?

I have a granddaughter who is 16, and a grandson who is 13. They are in the challenging years, so I chose to write about the lure of sex and drugs (call it Weed). These kids also know about faith in God (call it Water). I wanted to write about the tension within many teenagers as they slosh, like seaweed in the ocean, back and forth between the Weed and the Water.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I am creating a new book called Nerd in a Blue Leather Jacket. This is about receiving insights and wisdom from God. I pull up examples from my own private life as well as my nerdy career, and also incidents told me by other people. It’s very cool to look back on tipping points in life, to see the hand of God behind these.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Many years ago I wrote a book called Unleash Your Creative Mind, but never published it. However the research for this book based on the intuitive right brain and the analytical left brain, became a tremendous guide for the rest of my life, both private and career.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

Apart from writing, my interests are hiking, dancing, and playing pickleball. My goal is to write half of each day, like Ian Fleming did in Jamaica while he created James Bond. I recently lost three months after my home flooded.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

After starting a book or a blog, ideas and connections come to me out of the blue….in the shower, in the car, on the dance floor. Wherever I am I always try to jot down a note, so I won’t forget them.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be an ornithologist (bird-studier). I was a dedicated builder of bird-cages and a breeder of canaries and zebra finches and budgerigars.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

When I was 21 and socially backward, I observed that all women love to dance, and if I could just learn to dance I would be in. So I bought a book and taught myself to dance holding a pillow and following footprints in the book. I was right…..women wanted to dance with me, and this led to dates, and changed my whole social life.

Links:

Website | Facebook | Barnes and Noble | Kindle | Amazon

Thanks, Ian!

Christian fiction novel Shattered Pieces by Doris H. Dancy

Today’s spotlight is directed to the Christian fiction romance novel Shattered Pieces by Doris H. Dancy.

Doris is currently doing a virtual book tour with Write Now Literary VBT. You can visit her other tour stops to learn more about her and her novel.

Bio:

Doris is an accomplished and award-winning educator, speaker, writing consultant, editor, and playwright. She is a wife, mother, grandmother, and author. Her life’s focus has been educating our youth in an appreciation of both the written and spoken word.

She received her BA degree in English from North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina and began a teaching career in both English and Spanish. She was graduated from Hampton University with an MA in English Education and eventually became chairperson of the English Department, English teacher specialist, and later supervisor of English K-12 for Hampton City Public Schools. Teaching and supervising were both rewarding careers, and each taught her a different level and focus of professionalism and commitment. As the supervisor, along with many other responsibilities, she developed and provided staff development for a writing program that guaranteed student achievement. This step-by-step process is easy for students of all ages to grasp and move toward successful writing. The program continually proved itself through extremely high and consistent state standard of learning tests scores.

Throughout Mrs. Dancy’s life, she has found many favorable outcomes in a variety of endeavors. One of her greatest rewards has been seeing the tremendous success of so many of her students, and she has received numerous awards for excellence in educating, some of which are The Virginia Outstanding Teacher of English, The National Award for Building Successful Readers, The Governor’s School Outstanding Educator’s Award from the University of Richmond, and International Book Award Finalist for Jagged Edges.

Mrs. Dancy resides in Yorktown, Virginia.

A little bit about Shattered Pieces:

Most people who have known Zackary Tyler Belford for any length of time see nothing more for him than a path leading to destruction. Not even his handsome face, a Harvard Law degree, or limitless wealth can bypass the shattered heart and broken soul of the man-child still held captive by the abuse, accusations, and mistreatment he experienced as a child. Breaking hearts and taking numbers is his MO… a dangerous game of cat and mouse that could very well be his demise. As his life spirals out of control, Zack desperately seeks something to grab…to cling to…as he struggles hopelessly to avoid an inevitable fall…but will he find what he needs in time?

Social media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook 

Book buy links:

Amazon e-book | Amazon paperback

Book blast and giveaway for The Fall of the Prodigal by Michelle Lindo-Rice

Welcome to today's special feature. It's a book excerpt for the Christian novel The Fall of the Prodigal by Michelle Lindo-Rice. Enjoy!

During this special promotion, Michelle will be giving away 2 $10 Amazon gift cards to two lucky winners chosen via rafflecopter. Use the form below to enter for a chance to win. 

Bio: Michelle Lindo-Rice enjoys crafting women's fiction with themes centered around the four "F" words: Faith, Friendship, Family and Forgiveness. Her first published work, Sing A New Song, was a Black Expressions featured selection. Originally from Jamaica West Indies, Michelle Lindo-Rice calls herself a lifelong learner. She has earned degrees from New York University, SUNY at Stony Brook, and Teachers College, Columbia University. When she moved to Florida, she enrolled in Argosy University where she completed her Education Specialist degree in Education Leadership. A pastor's kid, Michelle upholds the faith, preaching, teaching and ministering through praise and worship. Feel free to connect with her at michellelindorice.com You can read her testimony, learn about her books, PLEASE join her mailing list, or read a sample chapter at michellelindorice.com

About The Fall of the Prodigal:
A condemned man, his two brides, and one untimely death. Michael Ward is at the top of his game and he doesn't need anyone or anything. Money is his new best friend--until he's arrested for a heinous crime. As much as he hates to admit it, Michael needs his brother, Keith Ward, the man who stole his wife and children. Will Michael open his heart to forgive his brother? Verona "Tiger" Stachs has been Michaels' attorney for years. She's in love with him, but is tired of being treated as his guinea pig. A lapsed Christian, Verona finds herself being drawn closer to God. She thought she was through with God, but soon discovers He's nowhere through with her. Which relationship will she choose? Keith Ward's a prominent minister and family man, yet he yearns to rekindle his relationship with his brother. When Michael calls him explaining that he desperately needs his help, Keith jumps at the chance to set things right with Michael. Will Keith be able to lead Michael into the light?

Paperback: 288 pages

Publisher: Urban Books (January 27, 2015)

ISBN-10: 1601626983

ISBN-13: 978-1601626981

 

Social media:

Website   Facebook   Twitter 

Buy links: Amazon   Barnes & Noble

This virtual book tour is hosted by Write Now Literary 

Follow Michelle's tour 

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Book blast and book giveaway for Christian fiction novel God Has Spoken by Theresa A. Campbell

Theresa is giving away Two (2) autograph copies of God Has Spoken 

 One (1) $25.00 Amazon Gift Card. 

Enter contest below.

Author: Theresa A. Campbell

Book Title: God Has Spoken

Genre: Christian Fiction

Paperback: 288 pages Publisher: Urban Books (November 25, 2014)

ISBN-10: 1601626819 ISBN-13: 978-1601626813

HOW HARD IS IT TO FORGIVE? After finding the biological mother who abandoned her as a baby, learning the identity of her birth father and her biological brother, Dupree is left distraught and betrayed. Like a volcano about to erupt, she vows to have nothing to do with her newly discovered family--so help her God! However, if Dupree's mother, Tiny, has anything to say about it, Dupree won't be able to keep that vow. How does a former teenaged runaway become a wealthy, sophisticated business executive? Tiny's quest for happiness and independence in Kingston, Jamaica, has taken her on a life-altering journey through hell. After a vicious attack and a serious sickness that leaves her fighting for her life in the hospital, Tiny prays for death . . . but then God speaks. Will she listen to His voice? What exactly is He saying?

Mama Pearl tiptoed slowly toward the old cars, her steps hesitant but determined. The first few cars she looked into were empty. She continued toward the back when a bad odor filled her nose. With her face twisted up, Mama Pearl took deep breaths as she continued walking. A scream lodged in her throat as she approached the last car. “Oh, dear Lord,” Mama Pearl whispered in shock. Two pieces of sticks, resembling legs, were hanging out the opened back door. Her heart slamming against her chest, Mama Pearl walked closer and saw the scrawny, young girl shaking uncontrollably in the backseat. She smelled like rotten garbage. Tears filled Mama Pearl’s eyes. Mama Pearl tiptoed slowly toward the old cars, her steps hesitant but determined. The first few cars she looked into were empty. She continued toward the back when a bad odor filled her nose. With her face twisted up, Mama Pearl took deep breaths as she continued walking. A scream lodged in her throat as she approached the last car. “Oh, dear Lord,” Mama Pearl whispered in shock. Two pieces of sticks, resembling legs, were hanging out the opened back door. Her heart slamming against her chest, Mama Pearl walked closer and saw the scrawny, young girl shaking uncontrollably in the backseat. She smelled like rotten garbage. Tears filled Mama Pearl’s eyes. Mama Pearl quickly rested the box in her hand on top of the car and leaned inside to look at the young girl. Suddenly, two pair of red, haunted eyes stared up at her, piercing her soul. “Help me,” the weak voice begged a little above a whisper. Mama Pearl gasped loudly and pulled her head out of the car. She cushioned her weak body against the car as her jelly feet felt as if they were about to crumble. “Lord, dear Lord,” Mama Pearl muttered. “Dear Lord, dear Lord.” Mama Pearl was not a stranger to the homeless people scattered all over Kingston. She was a long-standing viewer of the poverty that hit so many Jamaicans and only seemed to get worse, day by day. Her heart bled as she turned and stared at the sick child again. She looked as if she was a minute away from death’s door. Tiny rambled some gibberish and moaned in agony as sharp needles pricked her all over her ice-cold body. Her teeth chattered, and her eyes rolled around listlessly in her head.

Theresa A. Campbell is the author of the captivating novels, "Are You There, God?" and "God Has Spoken." She was born and raised in Jamaica West Indies. She received her bachelor's degree in business administration from Baruch College, and a master's degree in business administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Theresa has had a deep passion for reading since she was a child. It is her desire to inspire readers by writing stories from the heart to uplift their faith in God.




Connect with the author:

Website | Facebook | Twitter 

 

Author is giving away Two (2) autograph copies of God Has Spoken and One (1) $25.00 Amazon 

Gift Card. Three winners will be randomly chosen.

Contest ends: January 2, 11:59 pm, 2014

Open: Internationally

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author Theresa A. Campbell and is hosted and managed by Paulette from Write Now Literary Book Tours. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send an email to Paulette @ pharperjohnson@gmail.com

Interview historical and women's fiction author with Sydney Avey

I have an interview today with Sydney Avey about her newest book, The Lyre and the Lambs. This is the sequel to her first novel, The Sheep Walker’s Daughter, which won an honorable mention from the Center for Basque Studies (University of Nevada, Reno) in their Basque Literary Contest.

Bio:

Sydney Avey is an author of historical and women’s fiction set in California. Sydney has a lifetime of experience writing news for nonprofits and corporations. Her work has appeared in Epiphany, Foliate Oak, Forge, American Athenaeum, and Unstrung (published by Blue Guitar Magazine). She has a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of California, Berkeley and has studied writing at the Iowa Summer Writing Festival. 

She lives with her husband Joel the Sierra Nevada foothills of Yosemite, California, and the Sonoran Desert in Arizona.

Visit Sydney at www.sydneyavey.com and sign up to receive her monthly News for Readers and Writers.

Welcome, Sydney. Please tell us about your current release.

The Lyre and the Lambs tells the story of a mother and a daughter, both newlyweds, who decide to set up housekeeping together. Dee and Valerie move with their husbands into a modern glass house Valerie built in a proudly rural Los Altos, California neighborhood. When their relatives start showing up and moving in, the neighbors get suspicious. Then a body is found in the backyard and the life they are trying to build comes undone.

Father Mike is back to guide Dee through a difficult time with humor and grace, even as his own life is unraveling. Now he's going to have to take some of his own advice about love.

This sequel to The Sheep Walker s Daughter moves the family from the Fifties to the Sixties and explores the passions that draw people together and the faith it takes to overcome trauma.

What readers are saying:

The 'kids' were all delightful, and refreshing. Loved the places in Los Altos I'm familiar with also. And the Eichler house, how fun! Great read!

… not an in your face portrayal of the ideal Christian family, but a realistic portrait of doing life, and the problems that crop up, and how one solves them. 

Sydney Avey has a beautiful writing style that weaves luscious imagery with emotion. 

Dee is so believable and familiar that I am thoroughly hooked. I hope there is a follow-on planned soon!! I want to grow old with Dee!!

What inspired you to write this book?

Readers inspired me to write this book! Although I left the door open for a sequel to The Sheep Walker’s Daughter, I wasn’t committed to writing another book about the Moraga clan until readers started asking to know what was in store for Dee, Valerie, and Father Mike.

Excerpt from The Lyre and the Lambs:

Valerie had fallen deeply in love with Ander Ibbara, a young attorney she met when I deeded my Uncle Iban's house in Bakersfield to her. Valerie and Andy's sister, Pilar, cooked up a plan to turn the house into a Basque Cultural Center, and that's when Valerie got her first taste of organizing and managing something. She served on the Board of the Center, commuting back and forth between Palo Alto and Bakersfield. That’s where Andy, the community's rising young politico, weekend cowboy and most eligible bachelor, opened his arms to her. But Valerie and Andy could not come to terms with where to live. Of course, it goes deeper than that. Where to live is really not as difficult as how to live. Andy was firmly planted in the Central Valley. He had a thriving law practice to manage and a horse ranch to play with. Valerie was a Bay Area girl with a PhD in Spanish Literature, a publisher, a university teaching contract, and property of her own to play with. Valerie let Andy go. Freedom to live the life she chose seemed like a good trade-off until the day she got word that Andy had married someone else.

My saddest day was when Valerie celebrated her thirtieth birthday curled up in a fetal position on my bed in the Carmel duplex, Puffy wedged up under her arm. After Gibert finished his hospital residency at the San Francisco Medical Center, he promptly asked Valerie to be his wife.

>

"Mom, it would have been perfect if I could have said yes," Valerie sobbed and gulped air, trying to fit her words in between hiccups.

"Why couldn't you say yes?" I knew why, but I let her tell me.

"We both could have had a career." She calmed down, sat up on the bed, and started down her list. "He loved the property in Los Altos. We could have lived there."

I lowered my chin, raised my eyes to look at her, and waited.

"But he cheated on me!"

There it was. What I was expecting.

"And, I want children and he doesn't. Not American children."

Okay, that one I wasn't expecting. I'd given up on ever having grandchildren. I was very proud of Dr. Valerie Carter, Professor Valerie Carter, and novelist Valerie Moraga Carter. I was amused by Valerie the land baron and neighborhood irritant, but the day Valerie gave her engagement ring back to Andy, I put away my dreams of ever hearing a child call my child Mommy.

That moment was not the time to suggest to Valerie that she couldn't have it all. She understood that she was up against a clock that can't be adjusted to fit ambitious agendas. She'd made her choices and now the pain of emptiness overwhelmed her.

"Oh baby." I sat down on the bed and gathered her in my arms and we cried together.

What exciting story are you working on next?

My third novel tells the stories of a young man with unrecognized genius who flees rural poverty for the California coast, the mother who abandoned him, the older man with questionable motives who mentors him, and the young woman who helps him find his purpose in life.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When my first poem was printed in the Palo Alto Times. I was in the third grade.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

Writing is my full-time occupation. When I decided to becomes a novelist, I cleared a lot of volunteer work and social life off the deck, but I balance my writing with time with family and friends and a few church and community commitments. I like to write in two to four hour blocks of time in the morning, and then I spend time on other writing-related activities such as blogging and reviewing books. To feed my soul, I take yoga and aerobics classes, visit the Farmer’s Market, see a movie or play with my husband, or head to the coast to visit my kids and grandkids.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I have a habit of slipping off to write, like a kid stealing candy when no one is watching. As I write this, I should be upstairs getting dressed to go see a play with my daughter and my granddaughter!

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I thought I wanted to be a teacher. I did teach for a season: First grade to migrant children, pre-school, Sunday school, English as a Second Language in Germany, GED to soldiers, and now, writing seminars.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Thank you, dear readers, for your passion for stories.

Links:

Sydney Avey Author on Facebook

@sydneyavey on Twitter

Thanks, Sydney!