Spinster's Folly Released today!

Tell us a little about your book, Spinster’s Folly.

It's the fourth book in my novel series, The Owen Family Saga. It’s Marie Owen's story. Believing she's getting too old to attract a husband in a location with few choices, she takes a desperate gamble that goes very badly wrong.

Here's the description:

Marie Owen yearns for a loving husband, but Colorado Territory is long on rough characters and short on fitting suitors, so a future of spinsterhood seems more likely than wedded bliss. Her best friend says cowboy Bill Henry is a likely candidate, but Marie knows her class-conscious father would not allow such a pairing. When she challenges her father to find her a suitable husband before she becomes a spinster, he arranges a match with a neighbor's son. Then Marie discovers Tom Morgan would be an unloving, abusive mate and his mother holds a grudge against the Owen family. Marie's mounting despair at the prospect of being trapped in such a dismal marriage drives her into the arms of a sweet-talking predator, landing her in unimaginable dangers.

Sounds like an interesting read, doesn't it?

Marsha Ward was born in the sleepy little town of Phoenix, Arizona, in the southwestern United States; and grew up with chickens, citrus trees, and lots of room to roam. She became a storyteller at an early age, regaling her neighborhood friends with her fanciful tales during after-school snacks. Her love of the 19th Century Western era was reinforced by visits to her cousins on their ranch and listening to her father's stories of homesteading in Old Mexico and in the southern part of Arizona.

Over the years, Marsha became an award-winning poet, writer and editor, with over 900 pieces of published work, including her acclaimed post-American Civil War novel series featuring the Owen family, “The Owen Family Saga.” She is the founder of American Night Writers Association, and a member of Western Writers of America, Women Writing the West, Rim Country Writers, and LDStorymakers. She makes her home in a tiny forest hamlet in Arizona. When she is not writing, she loves to spoil her grandchildren, travel, give talks, meet readers, and sign books. Visit her website at http://marshaward.com
and her blogs, "Writer in the Pines" (http://marshaward.blogspot.com) and "The Characters in Marsha's Head" (http://charactersinmarshashead.blogspot.com). Find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/authormarshaward.

Getting toknow Author Marsha Ward (her latest: Spinsters's Folly is coming out Nov. 10th!)

Q: Marsha, who are you as a person, versus as an author?

A: I am a hermit. I love solitude. I am very quiet, very shy. I'm quite uncomfortable in crowds because I usually end up a wall flower without anyone to hang out with. However, I'm also a ham, and have enjoyed being in musical productions through the years. I was raised in a musical family, and studied in college for a career in opera. That plan took a sidetrack, though, and never came into being. Instead, I've taught many subjects in many venues.

Q: When did you first know you wanted to be an author?
A: According to my older sister, I wrote from the time I could hold a pencil, and constantly talked about writing “my novel”. Although I believe her, I have no idea how a child so young as I was even knew about novels. Be that as it may, there's never been a time that I didn't have some kind of story to tell. I was editor of the 4th Grade class newsletter. About that time, I wrote a play dealing with the Acadian people’s migration. I wrote a couple of screenplays for a film club I was involved in during my high school years. And of course, my "Great American Novel" began its life in 1965. I didn't get the commercial I-think-I'll-actually-let-other-people-read-my-work bug until the 1980s, though.

Q: What was the pathway like for you to get your first book published?
A: I began my "Great American Novel" in 1965, when my train to opera stardom took a detour and I had to give up my full-ride music scholarship and come home to help out financially. I created a huge Southern family, wrote what was, essentially, a twenty-chapter narrative outline, and lugged it around with me for the next 35 years or so. Then my interest in writing commercially got very keen when I read a truly badly-written book. "I can do better than that!" I exclaimed, and hauled out "The Book." I eliminated some children, found some juicy conflict, read 150 books for background, and worked on the novel for a while. I took classes in fiction writing, and started sending the novel out to editors as I wrote the sequel. I even had an agent for a year. I was getting some good rejection comments, but no offers. I decided a re-write was in order. Then life happened.

My daughter was killed in an auto accident. My creativity dried up. It didn't come back, oddly enough, until my husband died. He was my biggest supporter, and I'm eternally grateful to him for that.

Then life happened again, and during a health crisis, I determined to leave published works behind, even if I had to publish them myself. I polished up The Man from Shenandoah and Ride to Raton. Because I didn't want to start a publishing company, I chose to use the cheapest services available from iUniverse, and get feedback from writers and readers I knew. When The Man from Shenandoah appeared, I hand-sold a bunch of copies, and lo and behold, other readers liked it! Several months later, I brought out Ride to Raton. Trail of Storms took a while to write, but was published in 2009. I'm working on the fourth novel about members of the Owen family, Spinster's Folly.

Fortunately, I survived the health crisis.

You are an inspiration to me personally. Thank you. Q: Were you ever discouraged along the way? If so, how did you deal with it?
A: I'm often discouraged. It's part of the writer's makeup. I have to muddle through, with a lot of prayer and communicating with other writers to get my balance back.

Q: What is your writing schedule like?
A: I'm supposed to have a schedule?
I fall into the category of “Writers who wish they had a more structured writing schedule.”

I hate that category (it includes me). Terribly hard to realize one is in a writing slump. Q: What do you hope readers will get from your books?
A: Actually, hope itself. I had an epiphany several years ago when I realized that I write to let people know there is always hope, and to show them through the experiences of fictional characters that they can get through hard times, even really, really terrible times, and find happiness at the end of it all.

One of the hallmarks of my fiction is fast-paced adventure, peopled with believable characters. Readers tell me when they're forced to put a book down they worry about my characters until they can read about them again. If I can take people out of their own worrisome lives enough to be concerned about fictional folks and see them through to a satisfying ending, then I've done the job of relieving some of their day-to-day stress. Isn't that what books are for?

Q: Do you ever experience a snag in a story, a form of writer's block? If so, how do you deal with it?
A: That terrible sound you hear is me groaning in agony. Yes, I encounter snags. My favorite way of dealing is to avoid and procrastinate, but that doesn't get the book written. The best way is for me to set very low expectations for myself so I don't self-sabotage. A lot of highly creative people have oppositional defiance, and I find that tendency is well-developed in me. To counteract it, my goal is often to write 25 words a day. I could do that on a sheet of toilet paper, right? Surprisingly, the tactic works.

Twenty-five words…one word or two? Yeah, I can do that…Q: Do you need absolute quiet to write? Do you listen to music when you are writing?
A: Right now, I'm listening to the music of my dryer drum turning. I don't need absolute quiet, but since I'm very easily distracted, music with lyrics is a no-no. I use instrumental music to get me in the proper mood for certain scenes that could be hard to write. Exceptions to the no-lyrics rule? Neil Diamond and "Sweet Caroline." That will put me in the mood.

(Me in the other room rummaging through old records)…Neil Diamond…Yes…Oh pooh! It doesn't have "Sweet Caroline" hey, but I can sing it! (Is this another one of my self- sabotage thing-ys?) Q: What kinds of inspiration do you use during your story creation periods?
A: Mindless activities are great for letting the mind wander while I accomplish a task. Taking a walk, taking a shower (water seems to inspire, or relax or something), getting enough sleep so the characters come to talk to me.

I'm all for the walk and even the water (okay, I go for a drink of water) but sleep? That sounds like one of my self-sabotage tools. Q: What’s your secret to making the characters in your books come to life?
A: I get to know them very well. I have a sheet of questions I fill in about them, and I also interview them. Then I don't overwrite them with too much description. I let their actions define them, instead. That way, the reader invests the characters with their own unique qualities and peculiarities, and they come alive in the reader's mind.

Okay, so I'm going to have to wheedle a copy of those questions…a worksheet perhaps…Q: What words of advice do you have for other writers who desire to publish their manuscripts?
A: Two words: Indie publishing. There's nothing stopping a writer from making the connection directly to the reader anymore. Get started by reading the blogs/websites of JA Konrath and Dean Wesley Smith. Google will find them for you.

Q: What are you working on now?
A: I'm doing research for the fifth novel in the Owen Family Saga, entitled Gone for a Soldier. This is Rulon Owen’s story of his experiences as an infantryman during the Civil War. We’re going to see what made Rulon the caring big brother you see depicted in Spinster's Folly. I’m very excited about the project. The American Civil War has had a deep pull on me since I was in high school. Let’s see how many errors I can avoid. Civil War enthusiasts are very picky.

I listened to a couple of enthusiasts at the library critique their costumes. Whew! were they picky! Q: Where can our readers go to find your books and order them?
A: All the online booksellers, such as amazon.com and bn.com, have the trade paperback books. The easiest way to find all my online eBooks is to go to my author pages at Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/marshaward and at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Marsha-Ward/e/B003RB9P9Q/
The eBooks are also on Kobo Books, and Diesel Books, in Canada.

Q: Any final words you would like to share?
A: I'll address this to writers: Believe in yourself, but learn all you can about writing, too. No first drafts are set in stone. Don't hang around negative people. Write at least 25 words a day. Listen to people to learn the flow of language. Find a good, encouraging group of writers who will show you the ropes. Read, read, read! When you start writing in earnest, find a good critique group. Reach down and help another writer along the way. Is that enough?

Blog: http://marshaward/blogspot.com

Website: http://marshaward.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/marshaward

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormarshaward

Books on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Marsha-Ward/e/B003RB9P9Q

Ebooks on Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/marshaward

Winner!!!

 And the winner is: Meg Moseley
Meg's name was chosen by a random selection (I assign comments numbers and invited my hubby-who acts like he is allergic to anything linked to the computer, to choose a number. He has no idea who recieved what number and I never have a clue as to what number he will choose. Real scientific...not.)
Meg, please leave another comment with your email address on an older post here (which will require me to authorize it.)
And Congratulations!

The Next Big Thing

Yes, I've been tagged by the Huff Sisters all the way on the other coast. Really? Yes.

HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS THEY HAVE ME ANSWERING.

What is the working title of your book? I'm actually working on two but they are both in the same Trilogy/series. The Trilogy/series title is The Talisman. Bk1 is Crisscross in Time and Bk2 is Spiritualist

Where did the idea come from for the book? Wow, that takes me back! One of the first novels I wrote and received a basket full of rejections on was Crisscross in Time but on my families begging, it has been revitalized, improved and now added to. The whole story is part of childhood fantasies, laying on my back on top of the haystack and wondering what if? I had no idea at the time that the fantasies would take shape in the form of a novel, or a trilogy/series.

What genre does your book fall under? This WIP is definitely a Time-travel Romance with my own personal brand of suspense.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? That is a tough one. I can say that in the defunked original I had Hugh Jackman in mind for the hero lead, Quinn and the actor (of please forgive me for not recalling his name) that played opposite Hugh as the character Jed in Oklahoma as his brother, Albert. The lead? As in little Miss Perry Mason wanna be? Myself…who else? Of course I was a lot younger and starry eyed then.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? Honestly, I am still working on that for this one. It wouldn't be fair to try and formulate it at present because I am a punster writer and although I know my MC and what makes her tick, I haven't completely decided just how she will manage to reach her story goal. And her goal is rather unselfish when she hasn't found the thing she truly wants yet. (evil laughter)

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency? Neither, it is my hopes that my current Publisher will pick it up, but I have yet to have the first book polished to the level I personally demand before submitting.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? (scratches head trying to remember) That would be the draft that I submitted years ago. I'm guessing about a year. I tried plotting with it. It went quick, but I hated how it figuratively tied my creative hands.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? I try not to compare. I know there have been a few that truly disappointed me, but I will bury those titles in my memory banks and just say, none really.

Who or What inspired you to write this book? The old red barn that was at my grandfather's place. It was two stories, moved about thirty miles on logs and with draft horses. Once served as a saloon and brothel.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? In Bk1, that old barn that I mentioned earlier is the saloon and brothel where at least one of the characters makes a living. It is where several of the scenes take place. I haven't decided if it will play an important role in Bk2 yet. I'm still developing logistics of how and why a middle aged woman would venture into time-travel.
(Update- the how is solved and the why, now on to the fun part of landing her squarely in the frying pan just to toss her into the fire, then the coals and back again. She may obtain her story goal, but it'll cost her...evil laugh...)

Don't forget that I am offering you a chance at winning a free e-copy of Dark Days of Promise, my debut novel. Leave a comment for a chance to win. Tweet of FB your friends, tell me about it at shassidy(at)comcast(dot) net(The time stamp will show me how honest you are.) the winner will be chosen from the comments and emails by one of my illustroius family members and posted here, so check back!

And the list and links to those I'm tagging--visit them next Wednesday!

Margaret L. Turley RN http://margaretlarsen.com/blog Margaret's Blog

David Lee Summers http://dlsummers.wordpress.com

Peggy Urry http://peggyurry.blogspot.com/

Part of Grace Filled Christmas Blog Hop

What makes Dark Days of Promise perfect for Christmas reading and gifting? Maybe it is the things that happen at Christmas, the anonymous giving, or the decorations, or the kisses under the mistletoe.

Thirty-four year old Vicki Laramie must learn to trust before she can love, but she might die trying.
While Vicki’s children grapple with the death of their father -- a man whom she’s successfully fabricated as loving, a lie her rebellious teenager recognizes -- she must find a way to support her family and find a role model for her boys. She never intends to fall for Staff Sergeant Chase, her best friend’s son, who suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). She’d much rather choose a safer man to love, but her children have a voice in the decision she makes. With two deaths to deal with, a suitor after her money, a rebellious son, and Sergeant Chase’s repeated attacks, she can only hope to survive the danger she faces. If she doesn’t, her children will be left without either parent.

Link to buy: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-345/Dark-Days-of-Promise/Detail.bok

Looking for a Christmas read?

If you're looking for the perfect Christmas gift for the romantic ones in your life, be sure to check out the Grace Filled Christmas blog. http://graceawardsdotorg.wordpress.com/grace-filled-christmas-blog-tour-2012/
You'll find the perfect novel from one of these many awesome authors for everyone on your shopping list. Of course, I'm inviting you to look back here on the 5th and take the time to explore my pages. I'm drawing a winner for a free e-copy of my debut novel from those who comment to the post on that day, so come back by. But if Romantic Suspense doesn't fit your needs, one of these other authors no doubtedly will. Enjoy looking at these blogs (links available at Grace Awards Blog) and have a safe holiday.

Happy Halloween!

I've been tagged! or in otherwords "Tricked" Visit the Huff Sisters at http://www.cuffesisters.com/off-the-cuffe/ 
Come back here next Wednesday for a "Treat" (I'm giving away a chance to win a free e-copy of my book that opens on Halloween - yes, it really does.) Be sure to stop by and leave a comment next Wednesday, the 7th for a chance to win!

Sharing one of my favorite blog hop stops

Tina Scott runs an Author's Inquisition like no other. Here is most of her Inquisition with me and my book, Dark Days of Promise.

I understand that your new novel touches on the tender subject of PTSD. (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) Do you know someone who suffers from this?


Shaunna: I knew a veteran as a child and I will not soon forget the cautions when playing with him. He would bounce me on his feet in the air or let me use his huge muscular frame as my personal "jungle gym" as long as he was on his back and invited me to do so. He loved children and still does. Never, ever could I touch or try to tackle him from behind. Today I know why. Then I didn't.

What have you learned in your research that has surprised you most about PSTD?

Shaunna: It amazes me how common this is on one level or another. Most cases of PST are not extreme, but if you think about an experience in your life that frightened you, you might realize you deal with the post traumatic stress. For me, I was in a car accident as a child. It was during winter months and the car flew several feet into the snow. (I drew on this experience for a scene in the book.)

There was a situation in my life many years ago involving a helicopter. It was years before I could hear a helicopter nearby without an ominous feeling. But let’s move on to something lighter. What is your favorite bit of writing advice?

Shaunna: Write what you know and love. Write for yourself, not your imagined perfectly matched editor or publisher. Should you one day find them, they will, if they know their stuff and we all hope they do, bruise you and your precious fledgling novel. (Smile - those bruises heal and make you both better.)

So you have imaginary publishers too? [whispers off stage: I thought I was the only one.] You can’t imagine how relieved I am to hear that. [smiles happily]

...What is your writing process after your initial story idea?

Shaunna: For me, and I don't advise doing this. Pray for inspiration then sit down and let my fingers follow the racing, but calm thoughts. If I really listen, there aren't a lot of changes. With my current WIP it is different, this WIP has been written for a while, submitted more times than I care to count and yet, it won't let me sleep. Basically I'm merging the thoughts with what is already there on the page. Some of it is good and needs to be kept, some of it needs to be deleted.

So, you don’t advise authors to pray? [eyes open wide in disbelief]

Shaunna: I do advise authors to pray. I don’t advise ... well, never mind. Next question.

Are you a plotter or a pantster?

Shaunna: I'm a pantster. Sometime it gets me in trouble, like now with Talisman. I have to keep it fresh enough that I don't get bored knowing how it ends.

Do you have a favorite flavor of ice cream?

Shaunna: That's easy, Rocky Road, preferably Dreyers Grand Light (I used to work for Dreyers.)

Meep! [lip quivers] You worked for Dreyers? [takes a shaky breath. Turns to the side: I don’t know if I can continue. Then, nods] Do you have a favorite writer’s ice cream—I mean memory? Writer’s memory?

Shaunna: The day I knew Dark Days of Promise would be published. I didn't know by whom or when, I just knew it would be.

Tell us a little about your newest book coming out. The title, blurb, genre, publisher etc.

Shaunna: Dark Days of Promise is an Inspirational Romantic Suspense published by Desert Breeze Publishing. Release date is September 21, 2012.

Thirty-four year old Vicki Laramie must learn to trust before she can love, but she might die trying.

While Vicki’s children grapple with the death of their father—a man whom she’s successfully fabricated as a loving father, a lie her rebellious teenager recognizes—she must find a way to support her family and find a role model for her boys. She never intends to fall for Staff Sergeant Chase, her best friend’s son, who suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). She’d much rather choose a safer man to love, but her children have a voice in the decision she makes. With two deaths to deal with, a suitor after her money, a rebellious son, and Sergeant Chase’s repeated attacks, she can only hope to survive the danger she faces. If she doesn’t, her children will be left without either parent.

Whew! Well, it’s time for some ice cream. Don’t you think?

Shaunna: You won’t hear an argument from me.

(Thank you to Tina Scott for letting me share this here.) If you would like more information on dark Days of Promise, please click on the tab at the top of the page.

Feel free to leave a comment and thanks for stopping by.

The Gambler's Brother

Welcome Jillian! Many thanks to Shaunna for inviting me over to her blog today to chat about my new release, The Gambler's Brother. I love the fact that the authors at Desert Breeze Publishing are so supportive of each other. That's so cool.


We all lead busy lives, but I'm glad to do this for you. Tell me/us about the book. the cover is Wow! My new release is a historical novel based in 1946. It's the second in a series of three books but don't let that scare you. It's a full and complete story and reading the first one isn't necessary for the story line in this one.

That is good to hear. So often we have to read all the books in order in the series to know what is going on. I admire the author that ties the series together without making the reader do just that.

I'm a huge fan of 20th century history as there is so much fodder for the imagination with all the changes that occurred in the world during those 100 years. Really, think about it. We went from horse drawn carriages to horseless carriages and even as far as the moon. Think about the people born in 1900 and all the massive changes that they lived through. It's absolutely amazing and jaw dropping.

I can still see my grandmother shaking her head as she watch Walter Cronkite report on Armstong walking on the moon. Now all three of those parties are deceased.

For this novel, I focused on the aftermath of World War II and the movement of the brides who married American servicemen serving overseas. It's so romantic (and scary) to think about these women and how they changed their whole lives to marry a man from a foreign place. How wonderfully brave they all were to have survived the war and then, just when things may have gotten back to normal, to uproot themselves in the name of love.

Quite the adventurous generation! Can you share your book blurb with us?

Blurb:  Beaumont McSwain, a former RAF pilot wounded in combat is now the legal officer onboard the Queen Mary. He's haunted by a tragic mission gone awry and wants to return to America and to a life of peace and quiet. Zoe Langlois, a former member of the French Resistance, wants to get to America and find what's left of her family after the Nazi's reign of terror. She boards the Queen Mary under a false identity as a war bride. Along the way, several of the brides are killed and Zoe's odds of survival are decreasing by the day. She and Bo are attracted to each other, but his secret as well as hers threaten their potential for happiness.

Nice! Now I want more-- an excerpt maybe?
Of course
EXCERPT

Bo reached over and shut it gently for him and turned to walk away. He took several steps toward the elevator to go up to the bridge. Two women stopped his progress.

The one with curly hair put her hand on his arm. "I'm Filomena Andrews and this is Zoe Crawford. We need to talk to someone in charge."

"That's not me." He jerked his head back toward the purser's window. "Check with Nate over there if you have problems with your quarters. I have to get to the bridge."

"It's not problems with our quarters and if you're going to the bridge, you must be someone important since they run the ship from there, right?" Mena asked.

Bo nodded once. "They do run the ship from there, but I'm just an errand boy." He waved the papers in his hand. "I have to go. Sorry, ladies."

"I wonder that they'd choose someone like you as an errand boy--" Zoe said as he stepped away.

"What? A gimp? How rude of you to point that out, madam," Bo snapped at her.

Zoe looked him up and down. She sneered. "What I was referring to, sir, was your obvious rank. I can see it by the stripes on your sleeve. You're a group captain in the Royal Air Force, correct? It seems to me that you're the sensitive one. I feel sorry for you going through life expecting the worst of people. What a sad existence."

Bo stared at her. "I don't have a sad existence. I don't think the worst of everyone. I--"

Zoe cut him off. "You've made it clear how you feel about people, Group Captain." She turned to her friend. "Come, Mena, let's take the man up on his advice and talk to this Nate person. It's clear that this errand boy has other things to keep him busy."

She pivoted on her heel and stalked over to the purser's window. Her friend followed her as Bo gaped in shock. What an impossibly arrogant woman. French, of course. Even being invaded and conquered, they still hold that attitude of superiority. I feel for the poor bugger that married her.

Okay, so now that I/we have to have more, where do we go?

Buy link:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-356/Gambler's-Inheritance-Book-Two-cln-/Detail.bok

Tell us more about yourself. Jillian Chantal is the pen name of a lawyer in Pensacola, Florida. She decided she needed to work under a pen name when she was sitting in a room full of staid male lawyers. Jillian has always been a storyteller and written for fun. When she was in the fifth grade, she wrote a story about Mr. Pepper who fell in love with Miss Salt. He went to medical school and became Dr. Pepper. This story got rave reviews and was even copied by the teacher and distributed to the younger kids' classes. The bug to be published someday had bitten Jillian.

Jillian put off her dream to be published as she went to college and law school. She was too busy to dedicate the time to writing due to the interference of the practice of law and raising children. Once her children got older, she started back with the dream of being published.

Thanks for coming by. You can contact Jillian at: www.jillianchantal.com
Twitter @jillianchantal
Facebook: Jillianchantal

Come chat it up!

Just a reminder that you can find me and quite a few other authors at the Readers Fall Festival on Friday and Saturday.  Join yaho groups for a live feed. (I'll be there at noon Pacific Time. come by and say hello.)

Write-a-thon Update

My goal this week is to write in my  WIP Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.
Monday I managed 1616 words with very little editing.
Tuesday I edited and wrote 1420 new words.
Wednesday I accomplished 1247 words without opening the dictionary although the internet reasearch, library files sent in the past by a friend, and the thesaurus each got a workout and the notes taken are more than 2 pages taking up 3 hours plus the writing hours. Although daily word count is dropping, the total words in the manuscript are at 8065.
Goal for tomorrow ---sandwich in more research between family and living life (the mundane stuff like errands, delivering and picking up children, caring for the recovering patient, etc.)
Will also be responding to readers at three different blogs.
June Foster
Marcy Dyer
Hildie McQueen

Response to Recent Query

Shaunna Gonzales and her book dark Days of Promise can be found at the following links.

http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-345/Dark-Days-of-Promise/Detail.bok


http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&field-author=Shaunna%20Gonzales&search-alias=books

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Dark-Days-of-Promise?keyword=Dark+Days+of+Promise&store=nookstore&iehack=%E2%98%A0

twitter.com/#!/ShaunnaGonzales

facebook.com/authorshaunnagonzales

Busy Week full of Give-a-ways

Oh yeah, it's one of those that there aren't enough hours in the day.


My mornings this week Oct. 15-20th start with Write-a-thon at Britney Gulbransen's (See pumpkin to the right.) I will be tweeting my daily word count and possibly even reporting to Britney. I don't promise high numbers, but I do commit my morning hours (except for one due to family responsibilities.) Britney and I are giving away an e-copy of Dark Days of Promise so get your fingers moving!

Wait! There's more!

Oct. 15th-19th I am hosted at June Foster's blog. Leave a comment each day to increase your chances of winning an e-copy of Dark Days of Promise.

Oct. 18th should find me at two more blogs. Marcy Dyer www.marcydyer.com/blog , who had a hand in getting Dark Days of Promise to you. And Hildie McQueen http://www.hildiemcqueen.com/

If that isn't working for your schedule, come visit me on Oct. 19th when I go "live" at noon (Pacific Time) at Desert_Breeze_Publishing_Connections@yahoo.com with Nicole Zoltack. (Yes, I am giving away yet another e-copy of Dark Days of Promise.)

Oops, almost forgot one. Visit with me at Maria Sadowski's blog for an unofficial wrap of my blog tour. I'll still be touring, but not as much so follow me on Twitter or come back here to track me down.

Enjoy the rhythm or the falling rain this fall.

I'll Tell You Mine if You Tell MeYours.

This is yet another busy week in my schedule. All this week I'm involved in Lucy Monroe's Online Readers Retreat. While visiting with a few new friends and readers yesterday, I realized that there are a lot of you that have a story about PTSD to share. I don't mean a novel or even a long visit with a therapist. But... I am gathering personal stories and invite you to share them here. WARNING! If you post here today (October 9, 2012) your comment/story goes live in the comments. If you prefer instead to share them only with me, wait a day or two. Your comment will then need to be monitored by me. If you tell me right up front of your comment, "Please keep private," or "Okay to use as Author Fodder," I will do just that. I will keep it private or come back and glean from these stories for some of my future novels.




Your story may be as seemingly benign as mine or as devastating as all get out! I would appreciate that any bloody or gruesome details be somewhat left in the dark so as to not "trigger" another's PTSD. Please feel free to respond to one another's comments, but only in a supporting manner. I want this to be a "safe" place for you to share.



My early serving of Trauma.

Seatbelts have not always been used in my family, but as I was young, only nine, Mother insisted I put mine on. I responded with, "Only if you do too." We buckled up and the two of us were off for our hour long trip over the snow and ice. Mother drove the Oldsmobile Dad had purchased just before his death and I guess she had to finish up some business that day in the city. Okay, the city was one of those along the I-15 corridor in Southeastern Idaho. The sun wasn't up yet but we could see evidence of its coming up in the distance. I don't think Mom was going too fast. She rarely sped but we came over a hill and hit black ice. The car went sailing. We must have flown 70-80 feet in the air before the crusted snow grabbed the tires. Tons of heavy automobile collided with first the pristine snow, then the sagebrush beneath. Whiplash snapped my neck then it was silent. Not even the engine made a sound.

I don't remember how long we sat there, stunned. I do remember Mother trying to crank the engine. Nothing.

Mother coaxed me to undo my seatbelt. It took her a minute or two to shove her door open against the cold. "We'll have to climb back to the road and hope someone comes by and gives us a ride." The crusted snow cut at my legs and I wished I would have worn my snow boots instead of my Keds. Soon it didn't hurt anymore, but I knew the snow was still sharp against my tender skin. We hiked to the road. Sometimes, when the winter conditions are just right with melting, freezing and wind the snow gets a crust that a dog and sometimes a child can walk on without sinking. That morning, every time I tried to walk on the snow, I broke through. I finally gave up and tried to follow in Mother's footsteps. I don't remember crying, I may have, but the damp on my cheeks only made them colder. At last we made it to the highway. I wanted to stop and wait, even sit down. Mother wouldn't let me.

I hated that walk. I don't know how far we got. I just remember how my feet hurt with every jarring step. Finally, someone came by and gave us a ride. They took us to the car dealership and Mother had to leave me with a mechanic to get warm while she went back with the tow truck driver to get the car. I don't know if she knew the men or not, but he didn't hurt me and I was reasonably thawed out when Mother, the tow truck driver and our car arrived.

To this day, the sound of snow, slush or ice hitting up under the wheel wells of a vehicle sends a shudder up my spine. There are other residual effects, compounded by more experiences that haunt me. I don't drive in the snow. When a snowplow comes up the street, my world stops...waiting for the crunch I know is coming. When it finally passes, I breathe again.

Minor, don't you think?

PTSD in Fiction

I've toyed with writing since a teenager but have only written in earnest since 2005. Like most authors, the first attempts were awful but this one was different. In an effort to give Dark Days of Promise an authentic feel I endeavored to include some experiences of veterans I know and could often be found discussing the realities of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) in their lives and how it could honestly be shared in this project. On the evening of this books first promotion, a woman approached me, excited to find someone who knew enough that she could have a listening ear. I realized that the scope of PTSD reaches deep into the core of our society and includes infants, children, housewives, the working and unemployed as well as veterans; in short, all of us. In an effort to treat this subject fairly, I altered my writing course from "romance with a twist" to helping our society, sufferers and innocents alike to becoming aware. It is more than those who experience the violence, more than the victims who experience this debilitating disease that are affected. It is their families, the bystander of violent crime and all of us who dare to care for and love them.

Chatting with Heidi Murphy

Francesca Kennington merely wants to be left to her studies, despite her mother's best efforts to saddle her with a rich husband. Then she meets a mysterious gentleman, who leads her on a romp through the ballrooms and countryside of Georgian England. Their romance blossoms but secrets cause Francesca's house of cards to tumble. She must find a way to put her life back together, while still following her heart.

We're talking about Small Deceptions today. This was my first published work. I have always been interested in Jane Austen and Georgian romances. I didn't necessarily want the bodice-ripper element that seems to be prevalent today, so I sat down to write my own.

I will say that this book was written before I knew anything about ANWA or critique groups. Compared to my more recent works it's a little full of exclamation points. Please keep that in mind when you are reading my fun story.

It took me about nine months including extensive research into all things Georgian. I read everything I could get my hands on about the life and times of the period, much about the politics and social history of the time. It surprised me to find out that cheese was a poor man's food, that a pelisse is a long coat, and that the title of Baron is not hereditary.

This is not just a romance between a man and a woman, but a story of redemption between a girl and her mother, set in the Regency period.

I'd like readers to have a delightful escape into Georgian England. Also, deception is rarely helpful. We think we can get away with all kinds of little fallacies, but they often catch up to us.

There are several ways in which Francesca and I are alike. We both love books and wear spectacles. And I have, at times, been guilty of deceiving my mother, with catastrophic results (Okay, a huge spanking is pretty catastrophic to a six-year-old.) Also, I love to dance all the old dances.

I did my own cover art in conjunction with my daughter, Natassia Scoresby, a gifted graphic designer. I wanted a letter written in script of the time. I have the actual letter somewhere.

I read like a maniac, enjoy swordplay (in armor), play the tinwhistle and Irish drum (bodhran), sing, am a freelance artist, and work for the Boy Scouts as a Unit Commissioner.

I consider myself an uninspired cook and indifferent housewife (What else are children for?) but it bothers me when my house is a mess. If only our cook and cleaning staff hadn't died in the war in Heaven!

I get inspiration from all kinds of places. I've written 14 books thus far and have another three in the outline stage, but have yet to have any of the others published, mainly because that part of the process gives me the hives--a problem I am slowly overcoming. I write both as H. Linn Murphy (LDS, Regency romances and paranormal romance) and as Indigo Chase for Sci Fi.

My next book on deck for publication is Pivot Point, an LDS novel about a rodeo queen who finds love and redemption in a tiny Utah town.

I love all my main characters. Francesca is fun, but I suppose Larkin is one of my most favorite because she has come so far with so little and accomplished so much for so many. She is featured in a five book Sci Fi series called Watchers. I plan to publish the first book of the series soon.

Right now I'm working on a Sci Fi book called A Terrible Majesty.

I work from a light outline, plugging scenes in as they come to me. At times my story jumps the track a bit and gets hijacked onto other paths, some of which have to get hacked away, but often the serendipity makes for a delicious story.

I have, in the past, based a character lightly on someone, but never so they'd recognize themselves. I find it luscious therapy to give a "villain" or two characteristics of my ex. And, no, I don't tell.

Please pick up my book, Small Deceptions. It's at Xlibris.com for the print book, and Amazon.com as an Ebook http://www.amazon.com/Small-Deceptions-ebook/dp/B0075FVYUS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1349067707&sr=8-2&keywords=Small+Deceptions

Debra Parmley

Debra, thanks for taking time to visit today. Despite being blunt, what novel are we talking about today?

Aboard the Wishing Star, my first contemporary romance which comes out Oct. 11th

So I'm sure you're counting down. Every release is exciting. Remind me why should we read Aboard the Wishing Star.

Aboard the Wishing Star is set on a cruise ship sailing the Caribbean with an ex-marine hero, a young widow who has a fear of water but learns to snorkel anyway, her creepy boss and an element of danger. If this intrigues you, this might be a good story for you.

Intrigues me? Of course, this is my kind of romance. What makes this novel different from others?

Without giving away plot twists/surprises I haven't read any romances which had a heroine with a water phobia and though there are stories set on cruise ships what happens when the heroine disembarks on one of the islands and finds her boss waiting is probably unique.

Ah hah! I see the typical "What would happen if?" that authors make a living asking, at work here. How long did it take you to write it?

This was actually the second novel I wrote, though it has been almost completely rewritten three times. (Me chuckling 'cause I just did this with one of my own.) From third person to first person then back again into third. It was a real learning experience, one I would not repeat. Trying to please a former agent and editor tied this book up for a few years. How long to write it? Six years, though I would set it aside and work on others while waiting to hear back about this one. Two of my books were published during that time frame and several others started.

A real lesson in not sitting on ones laurels. Did you do any specific research? What did you learn that surprised you?

This one required no research because it comes very much from what I know. I was a travel consultant and prior to that I traveled a lot. The Caribbean cruise route they are on is one I have traveled on more than one occasion and I've sailed on many different cruise lines and ships.

Wow, that makes for a promising read with all the pictures you can paint with your words. I'm getting excited about the cruise from here. What is it that you would like readers to take with them from this story?

To face fears and phobias so they don't get in the way of a joy filled life.

So true, so true. You say you've been on lots of cruises. Tell us one thing from your personal life that made its way into this story.

The heroine has a phobia of water and so do I. Like her, I learned to snorkel anyway.

I'll bet you added in a good measure of your fear with this. What are you most passionate about, other than writing?

Dance. I love to dance and to watch all forms of dance.

Blondes think alike. Gentlemen, are you listening. We love to dance. Do you have a pet?

Now that our youngest son and his dog have moved out our house is empty of pets. I'm trying to decide which breed of dog I would like next and have been pet sitting and visiting friends dogs while I contemplate this. (My hand shoots in the air.) A Shih Tzu, you have to get a Shih Tzu. They don't shed even if you have to keep their hair cut or comb it out regularly.

Are you a baker, a chief, a microwave mom, a quick and easy or a take-out/delivery queen? Your favorite?

Ever since I was in high school I have baked and I have a big sweet tooth. I've never been a microwave mom or a takeout/delivery queen. As the only female in our family of four, that would have been beyond our budget. Now that they're grown and on their own I much prefer healthy salads, veggies and fruit from the farmers market.

Thus the trim figure to go with the dancing. Where do you get your inspiration to write?

Everywhere. Every life experience I have really.

How did you choose the title?

The Wishing Star is the name of the ship they are sailing on, so this one really fell into place.

Is there any symbolism with the cover art for this book? Tell us about it.

There are three falling stars to wish on, on the cover. I'll leave it to my readers to find them. ;-) (Owwe…pause here to enlarge photo and search for stars.)

Of all you heros/heroines, who is your favorite and why?

Right now, Bethany, the hero of the book I am working on now. She's the youngest heroine I've written so far and she's learning to be more independent and more assertive. "Trapping the Butterfly" is set in the 1920's and will be an April 2013 release.

Love the title. So, any funny "researching your book stories" that you would like to share?

Nothing funny so far. Hot, loud, heavy and with plenty of smoke though. That was the experience of shooting black powder guns for research for my second book, "Dangerous Ties", which is set in the wild west.

Are you a panster or a planner?

A pantser by nature, though I have to plot some to submit a proposal.

Are any of your characters based on real people? If they are, do you tell them?

Threads from here and there are woven. If I borrow one aspect of a real person, I make sure everything else is different. Though I am pulling a real gangster into my roaring twenties novel, I'll keep him as a minor character and make sure he doesn't grab center stage. My secondary characters sometimes come out strong and have to be toned down.

Strong is better than paper thin in my way of thinking. If you could legally lay claim to writing any book from the classics to the most recently released book, what would it be and why?

Peter Pan or Alice in Wonderland or some equally imaginative story which would bring new worlds alive for children and adults. Books like that have always given me great pleasure, however I've yet to pull off a children's story. Most of my stories turn themselves into romance whether I intend it or not and I very much enjoy writing romance. (Me smiling my agreement here.) There's something very beautiful though about children's faces who are listening to a story and caught up in that world. What a gift such storytellers give to the world.

If you could be any fictional character, who would it be and why?

I'd rather be a real character and travel the world in a beautiful ship with an excellent captain and a chef to cook all the meals while I write my stories.

Nice, can we come along? I promise to stay on my side of the ship and write, except when we agree on a critique session of course. What have you loved the most about this story? What have you hated about it?

I love the way Nate treats Kara, teaching her to snorkel, letting her know she is safe and he's there for her. He's protective and will take care of her but he also wants her to learn to be strong and unafraid.

Back when I had rewritten the story into first person (on advice I should not have followed) I didn't like the story very much. But maybe it didn't like me either. It didn't want to be in first person and that is what I should have listened to. Lesson learned.

If you could change one thing in your life, what would it be?

Well, that ship with the crew would be nice. That or a beach house to write in. Other than that, I'm doing what I love and so grateful I am able to write full time now.

What is the one question you never get asked at interviews, but wish you did? (And of course we would like your answer.)

Hmm I've never really thought of that before. Who's my favorite secondary character? Old Moss, in my first book. He's one of those cranky old men, who isn't so cranky beneath that outer crust.

Where can we purchase your book?

My book is available online wherever ebooks are sold and on my publishers website.

http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-360/Aboard-the-Wishing-Star/Detail.bok

Thank you for having me here today. It's been fun!

You are welcome! Come again in the spring with your next release too, won't you?

Friday Night

Yes, Friday is here at at our house that means dinner and a movie or two.
On the docket for tonight is "Marvel's Avengers" - yes, hubby and youngun have seen it, but I'm too busy writing and promoting to go to a theatre.
And we are going to educate the youngun with "The Three Stooges" - yeah, I hope its as funny as the old ones. So, time to remove the author's cap and the PR cap and instead slide into the comfy clothes, fix Orange Chicken from scratch (sauce is in the bottle) and enjoy.
(Tomorrow we will be right back at it with Debra Parmley here talking about her upcoming release, Aboard the Wishing Star. I'll be in her house (blog) at http://debraparmley.com
Stop by and check both blogs out. You never know what new tidbit you might learn. (evil laughing now.)

What you might find me doing/Update

Talisman: Crisscross in Time is on its way to beta readers! What that means for you, the reader is that we're one step closer to getting it in your hands. What that means for me is time to write the next one in the series while I'm all pumped up. That means you won't have to wait as long between books. (Trust me, you'll thank me for holding them close together!) Okay, so on the right you will see pumpkins and  what I will be involved with to get this to you sooner. Yes, it is a write - a - thon. You don't have to be a published author take part and I encourage you to get involved. maybe your writing goal is to write in your journal everyday, that works. So check it out. I will be Tweeting my progress everyday during the write-a-thon, word count and that kind of thing so you can monitor my progress. You are welcome to cheer me on or join in. The Write-a-thon is the 15th through the 20 of this month. I will also be involved that same week with a Readers Fall Festival at Desert_Breeze_Publishing_Connections@yahoogroups.com

So lots to do whether you are a reader or a writer. Dive into your fall! (Do it gracefully and win prizes at both!)

Updates

Well, I'm not at Debra Parmley's blog today as expected. Instead we are shooting for the 6th. Don't hold your breath unless you are reading something that warrants that involuntary response!
Since I won't be hopping from blog to blog today it is time to decide whether or not my hero and heroine in Talisman: Crisscross in Time get out of their current crisis or rather how.
It is a romance so they will in the end, but at what cost?  Quinn- the hero is on trial for murder. Trish - the heroine has yet to pass the bar, but does she know enough to get him off? What game is she playing? Is one of them, or both insane? Of course at this point neither has verbally admitted to the other that they are in love, but if a character is willing to die for the other, doesn't that make it obvious?
Are you dying to know what I'm talking about? Okay, I know T. is, so here's a short excerpt to get you wanting more of this time-travel to the late 1800's.

"Would you care to tell the court of that afternoon?"


Quinn accurately related the events that took place up until they had left the saloon, but didn't mention the details of why such plans had been made.

"What happened when we left the saloon? I will remind you that you are under oath. There is no place here to spare the sensitivities of the women present, including myself."

"I drove ya to my place and we talked. Then ya left."

"We talked. Nothing more? Are you absolutely sure?"

"Yes, we talked… maybe argued, but nothin' else I'm sure."

"Did you infer, by direct means, or hint… at bedding me?"

Quinn dropped his gaze. When he looked up Trish noticed the pain etched there.

"Yes, I did invite ya to my bed."

"For money?" Trish ignored the murmurs and pushed on before her resolve faded.

"No." His features wore a tentative apprehension.
"Didn't you indicate that you would make it 'worth my trip'?"

"Yes, but it was a ploy to cover your actions." he defended.

Judge Fairbanks shifted in his chair.

"Is this a ploy now?" she asked.

"I don't think so, no."

Trish wanted to press him further but her wanting to know how deep his feelings for her ran had nothing to do with this trial.

"Thank you, Quinn. Your honor, I am through questioning this witness, but request that I have the right to recall him."

PTSD - I don't own the corner of the market.

I'm not the only one that writes about PTSD so eloquently. give Debra Erfert a read on her blog today. http://debraerfert.blogspot.com/

Tomorrow I expect to be with a different Debra, Debra Parmley. http://debraparmley.com

Your Official Invitation!

This is an online retreat Oct. 8-12th.
http://www.lucymonroe.com/OnlineReaderRetreat.htm

Some of these books and covers may be a bit too racey for my readers, so be forewarned!
Registration is FREE to win some awesome prizes.

Talking with Donna Hatch

Donna, I have to give you credit for turning me on to historical romance and I believe you call it Regency Romance. If it wears your name, I pick it up! So tell me, what is your typical day like?
It’s not really very glamorous. I get up at an obscene hour of the morning and start getting my children out the door. They all leave at different times so it’s a steady stream. Then I walk, exercise, shower and write or edit. Then after lunch, I go to my day job. After work, it’s all about family, homework, dinner. Occasionally I get another hour or two to write, but not usually. After the kids are in bed, I sometimes practice the harp (but not nearly as much as I should), spend a little time with my husband, and go to sleep. Like I said, not glamorous.

Maybe not glamorous but busy, wow. What inspired you to write romance?
I love it when the story focuses on the development of the relationship, and a happily ever after is a must.

I'm with you and the happily ever after, well most of the time, but I've gotten quite the taste for writing (not reading) the cliffhanger. (Evil laugh - guess it keeps me coming back to figure out what more I can do to the hero.) You mentioned the harp, do you write with music playing?
Yes, sometimes, but usually only to drown out other background noise. I has to be instrumental with no drum beat or it pulls me out.

I love Yanni for that very reason! What motivated you to write your current book?  
A critique partner and friend, Sarah M. Eden, who is also the author of some of my absolute favorite books, emailed me and said she and four other authors were putting together an anthology of short, romance historical stories centered around a winter or Christmas them. She invited me to join them. I accepted, then started brainstorming what I could write.
A Winter’s Knight is about a young woman whose fascination with a murdering earl and his dark castle lands her right in the heart of danger amid a terrible curse, and the man who steals her heart.
Though it takes place during Christmas, it has a very gothic feel. All six of the stories in the anthology are sweet, historical short stories by published authors.

Yum! sounds like my kind of intrigue! I love the danger that cost someone something. What will be your next project?
I’m working on book 3 of my Rogue Hearts series, a series of Regency romances. The working title of the new story is A Perfect Secret.

I guess I'll have to invite you back for that one. Where can we buy a copy of this anthology?
For now, it’s only in digital form and you can buy it at any online store like Amazon. We have plans to make it a paperback in the future—provided the sales are high enough.

Tour Update

Today is the 27th, right/ okay so I'm busy with the tour and well, with writing my next novel. The working title (which  I'm liking more everyday) is Talisman: Crisscross in Time. As you guess, it is a Time-travel romance and what I hope will be the lead in a series' cause I'm intentionally leaving breadcrumbs...

You should be ables to find me at Heidi's http://www.murph4slaw.blogspot.com/ later today (afternoon?) if I can dodge the bronchitus bug. If you are looking for Dark Days of Promise links, they are:

Desert Breeze Publishing: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-345/Dark-Days-of-Promise/Detail.bok

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Days-of-Promise-ebook/dp/B009EHRB7K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348250151&sr=8-1&keywords=Dark+Days+of+Promise

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Dark-Days-of-Promise?keyword=Dark+Days+of+Promise&store=nookstore&iehack=%E2%98%A0

Did you know you can follow my latest tweets at my Amazon author page?

Tour Update

You will find me with Melanie Atkins at http://www.melanieatkins.com
http://www.melanieatkins.wordpress.com today. Stop by and say hi!
I can also be found at http://inspirationalebooks.blogspot.com/2012/09/dark-days-of-promise-by-shaunna-gonzales.html
Barnes and Noble finally has Dark Days of Promise!
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Dark-Days-of-Promise?keyword=Dark+Days+of+Promise&store=nookstore&iehack=%E2%98%A0

Tickle Tease -- Blog Tour Update

Here I am teasing you and hopefully Tickling your curiosity click over to Bonnie Harrris and Donna Hatch to see what they are sharing about Dark Days of Promise today. And yet another sharing different info. http://inspirationalebooks.blogspot.com/2012/09/dark-days-of-promise-by-shaunna-gonzales.html

Dark Days of Promise Review by Maria Hammarblad

Vicki is a single mom, living with her three children. Her ex-husband is in the military, fighting in some faraway war, and thanks to some help from the closest neighbor Janine, they're doing okay on their own. One day, four men in uniform knock on Vicki's door. She has to tell her children their father is dead, and such words never come easy.

Her ex-husbands death emphasizes the word "single" in a way the divorce never could, and as she tries to cope with a rebellious teenage son and make plans for the future, a handsome banker asks her for a date. Vicki accepts, thinking she's truly alone and that her children need a father figure. These might not be the right reasons for entering a relationship, but it seems logical. At about the same time, Janine's son returns home from the war. He is handsome, strong, and PTSD makes him unpredictably violent.

Shaunna Gonzales has a knack for creating believable characters. They not only come alive on the pages, but I expect them to appear in real life at any moment. Their thoughts, intentions, and problems are believable. It's hard to describe the story conveying how exciting it really is; it contains just the right amount of danger and adventure to keep you turning the pages, and just when you think you know what'll happen, everything takes an unexpected turn.

The book is classified in cryptic categories such as "Christian books and bibles." I normally don't read Christian books: in my opinion the authors usually overdo it, and the material comes across as a few hundred pages of trying to convert people. Gonzales doesn't fall into that trap. There is religion in the book, but the mentions of faith come naturally, as a part of life for the people involved. She handles religion in an elegant, non-threatening and non-coercive way that makes this book stand out as something that can be appreciated both by people looking for a Christian read, and by people wanting to be entertained by an enthralling romantic suspense.

I warmly recommend the book and I will keep my eyes open for new releases from Shaunna Gonzales. If you buy it, be prepared to shut out the world for a while - I just HAD to know what would happen, so I read it all in one day.

=D Maria Hammarblad
Link to buy: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-345/Dark-Days-of-Promise/Detail.bok

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Days-of-Promise-ebook/dp/B009EHRB7K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348250151&sr=8-1&keywords=Dark+Days+of+Promise