by Roseanna White | Mar 4, 2011 | Uncategorized
Today I’m happy to welcome Shellie Neumeier to my blog to chat about her debut novel, a YA book entitled Driven. I’ve got this book sitting on my shelf waiting to be read, and it looks great.
Shellie has been generous enough to offer a copy to one lucky reader, so please leave your comments below with an email address where you can be reached–and be sure to click “follow” if you haven’t already! đ
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About Driven
Robyn canât help but notice the handsome new guy at her school. She ignores, however, the arrival of another being at Brookfield Central High Schoolâa demon assigned to destroy herâŚ
Robyn loves her friends, enjoys her youth group, and looks forward to meeting cute Caleb Montague. But when a caustic news reporter challenges her schoolâs prayer team, Robyn must choose: defend their right to meet on campus and pray for whomever they wish or back down at the principalâs request.
Now she must learn what God wants her to do. And she had better learn fast, because thereâs a supernatural enemy in town whose sole mission is to stop herâno matter the cost.
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About Shellie
Shellie Neumeier holds a degree in Secondary Education from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, with a minor in Psychology, Sociology and Social Studies. A devoted mother of four, Shellie previously worked on staff with Northbrook Church as the Kingâs Kids ministry assistant (serving children in grades 2nd through 5th), developing and writing curriculum, involving families and volunteers in Kingâs Kids programs and encouraging the spiritual growth in school-aged children. Shellieâs YA novel, Driven, is now available in electronic form and is scheduled for print release March 1, 2011 from Risen Fiction. She is an active member of SCBWI and ACFW as well as a contributing author at various blogs including Samiesisters.com, thebarndoor.net, and ya_noveling.com.
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What’s your latest book?
My debut novel, Driven, was released for the holidays in its kindle version and will be released everywhere else on March 1, 2011 by Risen Books.
I love the cover! But I suppose we should look beneath it. đ What was the hardest part to write?
The fight scene. Iâve never been in one or watched one and I rarely read about them. It took quite a bit of research, editing, and imagination to get it to work.
Where’s a fight-picking friend when you need one, anyway? =) What do you hope your readers will get out of the story?
Hopefully my readers will come away with a renewed sense of power. A sense of I-can-do-that, whatever âthatâ may be in their lives. And of course I hope they come away having enjoyed a great ride from the story.
What’s your favorite genre to write? To read?
I love writing YA because the readers are so passionate about what they consume. And they give you latitude with creative moments, but keep you accountable with unrealistic moments too. Itâs a challenge, but Iâve always loved challenges.
I have a huge appreciation for the YA genre–you definitely have a challenging, but oh-so-rewarding job! What are you reading right nowâand what do you want to read next?
Iâm finishing the Hunger Games trilogy and I have Brandilyn Collinsâ novel, Deceit, on my kindle just waiting to be read next.
Oo, don’t forget to breathe. (Tee hee hee) Okay, let’s change directions a bit. What would your dream office look likeâand what does your REAL writing environment look like?
I would love one of those warehouse loft offices with super high ceilings and tons of workspace, oh and a huge wall of windows overlooking a river, but in the real world I work at the kitchen counter once my children have been sent off to school. Itâs crowded and usually sticky, but it works.
LOL on the sticky. Glad I’m not the only one with a sticky table. Is there any one thing or reference you keep handy when writing? Anything you kept around for this particular book?
Googleâitâs open all the time and a thesaurus/dictionary. Those pesky words slip my mind from time to time and I canât find them without that thesaurus.
If you could take your family on a vacation anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Disney cruise. Hands down. We live in Wisconsin and its January. I think that says it all =).
You bet it does! And we are SO with you.
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Thanks so much for visiting, Shellie, and giving my readers a glimpse into your fun book! Readers, be sure to check out her website at http://shellieneumeier.com in addition to the blogs she listed in her bio. You can find Driven at Amazon.
Void where prohibited. Entry into the contest is considered verification of eligibility based on your local laws. Chance of winning depends on number of entries. Contest ends 3/11/11. Winner will have two weeks to claim prize.
by Roseanna White | Mar 3, 2011 | Uncategorized
For those who haven’t already seen elsewhere, I have the flu. On top of the sinus/ear infection (which has mostly cleared up). That makes 3 weeks of straight sickness. Fun stuff.
Needless to say, a few things have slipped. Housework primarily (ha ha), but blogging too. Sorry about that. I’ll have an interview/giveaway posted tomorrow, and next week I’ll hopefully be back to my usual schedule.
In the meantime, I thought I’d let you know that this week I’m featured on
Shannon Vannatter’s blog. Monday she posted
my wedding story, complete with our gorgeous beach pictures, yesterday was
an interview about the romance of Kasia and Xerxes from
Jewel of Persia, and tomorrow will be an excerpt from the book. You can comment on any of the posts to be entered for a chance to win a copy.
Also, I just started a Yahoo! group for writers of Biblical and Ancient World fiction. If any of you write or are interested in writing in these oh-so-awesome genres, let me know and I’ll send you an invite!
by Roseanna White | Mar 1, 2011 | Uncategorized
I’m a little late posting today thanks to another round of sickness, but I figure y’all will enjoy hearing about this book, so I’ll offer a very informal review. =)
Love Amid the Ashes is the story of Job like you’ve never heard it before. In a wonderful glimpse at the true time line of the Old Testament and some logical deduction and a little imagination, Mesu weaves this story of trial and tribulation and faithfulness with that of another Biblical character we hear only a little about–Dinah, the violated daughter of Jacob, whose brothers slaughter a whole city on her behalf.
After the death of her beloved Grandfather Isaac, Dinah, always the outcast, finds herself promised in marriage to Job’s eldest son. But when Job’s world comes crashing down the very day they reach Uz, she finds herself drawn to the faith and compassion of this great man brought low–and caught in the web of desperate deceit of his wife, Sitis.
I’m not quite done yet, but I can tell you now that this is a book of amazing faith, unexpected love, and tender emotions that result in characters that feel incredibly realistic. Mesu does an expert job of painting a vivid setting, and the Old Testament comes to life under her expert hand.
I could go on–and probably will once I’m done, and well again (grrr, sickness!)–but for now let it suffice to say that this is Biblical novel I’m ecstatic to add to my shelf and an author I’m going to be watching closely. =)
by Roseanna White | Feb 28, 2011 | Word of the Week
Perhaps I ought to start with a pronunciation guide of this one, eh? đ
Schadenfreude (SHAHD-en-FROY-de) is something we’ve all probably felt, and felt the sting of. Loosely defined, it’s a noun meaning ‘malicious satisfaction taken at the misfortune of others.’
When I discovered this word, I got quite a kick out of it, because a joke between David (then fiance) and my family was “It’s funny when it happens to somebody else.” Though schadenfreude is on the negative side of that, it was nevertheless a perfect one-word way to say the same thing. =)
There, see, you learned a fun new word today. (Unless you already knew it, but . . .)
Happy Monday, everyone!
by Roseanna White | Feb 25, 2011 | Uncategorized
Today I’m pleased to welcome Susan Page Davis to my blog to chat about some of her many new releases. She’ll be back this spring with another, but for now we’re going to focus on her 3-in-1 collection,
Alaska Weddings.
Susan has been generous enough to offer a copy of Alaska Weddings to one lucky reader, so please leave your comment below for a chance to enter, along with an email address where I can reach you if you win. And remember to click “Follow” if you haven’t already!
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About Alaska Weddings
Love comes looking for the Holland family of Alaska, but new challenges to their faith lie around every bend.
Secrets from the past and dangers involved in their duties as members of the Coast Guard threaten Caddie Lyle and Aven Hollandâs budding romance. Is a longterm relationship possible when they struggle to have faith to get through today?
When Robyn Hollandâs sled dog kennel is threatened by financial woes and theft, she turns to veterinarian Rick Baker for help. As she works to organize the Fire and Ice race, some of her best dogs are stolen. Will Robyn and Rick trust God to lead them to the answers they seek?
Widow Cheryl Holland thought sheâd never love againâand certainly not someone as different from her as animal scientist Oz Thormond. But when he arrives as the new vet at the clinic where she works, she canât deny her sudden interest in polar bear studies. But is this just a temporary magnetic attraction?
Will the chance for love be swallowed by wilderness dangers, or will God reveal a bright future in the last great frontier?
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About Susan
Susan Page Davis is the author of more than thirty published novels in the romance, historical, mystery and suspense genres. Sheâs the mother of six and grandmother of six. A Maine native, she now lives in western Kentucky.
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What’s your latest book?
Alaska Weddings and Pieces of the Past both released in January. Alaska Weddings is a 3-book anthology from Barbour, featuring contemporary romances set in Alaska.
Pieces of the Past is a cozy mystery from Guideposts. Itâs number 6 in the Patchwork Mysteries series, where each book is written by a different author.
How exciting to have so many releases to celebrate at once! But let’s focus on Alaska. =) What’s your favorite part of the story?
In Alaska Weddings, I love the part where Cheryl and Oz are off on a snowmobile observing polar bears, and they spot a huge bear closer than theyâd realized. Did you know bears like ham sandwiches?
Hmm, can’t say as I did. Though I think I assumed they like ANY food, LOL. What was the hardest part to write?
The first story, Almost Ready, is about a young woman who is an officer is the Coast Guard. Since Iâve never served in the military, this was a challenge. But my brother, who was a career officer in the Coast Guard, helped me a lot. He also put me in touch with his former captain in Alaska and a friend still on active duty. Both answered a lot of my questions.
Ah, I love it when the connections are in place! Definitely makes that research easier. Is there any one thing or reference you keep handy when writing? Anything you kept around for this particular book?
For this book (actually three shorter books) I built quite a Library. Over and over I referred to The Civilianâs Guide to the U.S. Military, the latest edition of The Coast Guardsmanâs Manual, several books on dog sledding, several others on polar bears, and a multitude of general Alaska resources, including books, Alaska magazine, and my notes from my trip to Alaska. I also kept handy the email addresses and phone numbers of my âexpertsâ who helped me so much on this book.
What are you writing right now?
Iâm working on two historicalsâ
Lady Anneâs Quest is the second in my Prairie Dreams series, for Barbour. In it, an English noblewoman goes West in 1855 (yes, weâre talking wagon train west) in search of her uncle, who doesnât yet know heâs the new Earl of Stoneford.
Captive Trail is set in north-central Texas. Itâs second in the Texas Trails series for Moody. In this series, authors Darlene Franklin, Vickie McDonough and I will take turns on the books. Darleneâs Lone Star Trail and my Captive Trail appear first, in August and September. My book is about a stagecoach driver who finds an unconscious white woman lying on the trail, dressed in Comanche clothing.
They sound so interesting! Any upcoming releases we should keep our eye out for?
Oh, yes! Love Finds You in Prince Edward Island, Canada comes out April 1. Donât miss this fun historical romance. Queen Victoriaâs son, the Prince of Wales, is a major character.
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That sounds awesome, Susan! And thanks so much for visiting today. Readers, check out her website at www.susanpagedavis.com, and look for Alaska Weddings at Amazon and ChristianBooks.
Void where prohibited. Entry into the contest is considered verification of eligibility based on your local laws. Chance of winning depends on number of entries. Contest ends 3/4/11. Winner will have two weeks to claim prize.
Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. Having successfully launched two homeschool grads, she now spends her time writing fiction, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years, as well as a fantasy series and contemporary mysteries and romances. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her booksâŚto offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.