Holly Jolly Blog Tour Week 1 - Meet Regina Andrews

We're at it again for another whirlwind tour talking about books, books and more books!  This week my guest is Regina Andrews.  Say hello, leave a comment and answer one of our questions yourself to be entered into our contest for a $50 Amazon gift certificate at the end of our tour.  

Hi,

Thanks for stopping by Regan's blog to spend a bit of time getting to know me!  I am Regina Andrews, Inspirational Author - but that sounds kind of stuffy, don't you think? Let's try this -- everyone calls me Gina and I love happy endings, I love writing, I love romance and I love God, so naturally I write romance novels with an inspirational point of view. After all, what's life without a good dose of faith to carry us through those times when things are not exactly going the way we'd like them to be? During the day I am lucky enough to have a full-time writing job at a national jewelry company, specializing in high-end designer and Estate pieces - I'm the one writing what you read about all these one-of-a-kind treasures! In my off-time, I volunteer for the blind, work at the local children's hospital and sing my heart out in the church choir. My hubby and I are proud 'parents' of a semi-feral cat named Queenie who really is in charge of the whole house. She loves Christmas -- especially tinsel! -- and so do I, so let's get to the questions and kick off this fun and fabulous "Holly Jolly" blog tour!

Question # 1 for Gina -- 

What is your favorite holiday novel - and why? Movie?

No doubt my favorite holiday novel is "Winter Solstice" by Rosamunde Pilcher. It's a good, long, luxurious read that centers on five lost souls whose lives converge right before the holidays and they end up spending a life-changing Christmas holiday together. You know how when you find a good book and you just can't bear to have it end? That's how this one is...I'm milking my way slowly towards the conclusion. Curl up with this and a steaming cup of tea and you'll experience the real meaning of the season.

Now for a movie, I don't mean to be trite, but oh! How could there be a more moving or masterful holiday movie than "It's a Wonderful Life?"

 My second question for Regina is:  

Let us know your favorite holiday tradition that you cherish in your home. And what holiday tradition do you find fascinating, even though you might not do it at your house? (That might be another culture.)

Setting up our crèche is a family tradition that we've enjoyed for years. We did it with my parents at the house, and since they've been gone, everyone comes over to my house and we make an event out of it. We sing and snack and sip, and arrange the big, (3' x 5') beautiful Italian wooden manger with the hand-painted figurines on a midnight blue blanket in the bay window, then add twinkling white lights along the top. It's a magical family time together.

Also, one tradition I love is the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve, from Italy. It is so steeped in religious meaning, as well as drawing the family together. A beautiful time!

Well thank you for having me, Regan. Happy Holidays, everyone!

You can find out more about Regina at:

 

www.reginaandrews.com 
http://worldofgood-gina.blogspot.com/

Find the rest of us Blogetts and see what we have to say in response to this week's questions at:

Ann Tracy Marr - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ann-Tracy-Marr/114711658247?ref=ts

Christine London - http://www.christinelondon.com

Sharon Poppen - http://poppensthoughtsonwritingandstuff.blogspot.com

Angie Dobson – http://loveromancesandmore.com

 

24 Days of Holiday Reads and Giveaways

Starting December 1 and running through the 24th my fellow Avon (book) Addicts and I will be showing casing some of our favorite Avon authors and offering some fantastic giveaways. Come by, leave a comment and be entered to win our daily prizes!

12/1/2012	Pure Textuality	http://puretextuality.com
12/2/2012	Toot's Book Reviews	http://tootsbookreviews.blogspot.com
12/3/2012	Deborah Brent	http://deborahbrent.wordpress.com
12/4/2012	Save Your Money For Books	http://saveyourmoneyforbooks.blogspot.com
12/5/2012	SOS Aloha	www.sosaloha.blogspot.com
12/6/2012	Ramblings of Kristibug	http://www.Kristibug.com
12/7/2012	Alpha Heroes	http://alphaheroes.blogspot.com
12/8/2012	Tempting Reads	http://temptingreads.blogspot.com
12/9/2012	Books Like Breathing	http://bookslikebreathing.blogspot.com
12/10/2012	The Book Cellar	http://www.thebookcellarx.com
12/11/2012	TBQ's Book Palace	http://tbqspersonalbookpalace.blogspot.com
12/12/2012	Romancebookworm's Reviews	http://romancebookworm.com
12/13/2012	Romancing the Readers	http://romancingthereaders.blogspot.com
12/14/2012	Welcome to My World	http://regantaylorsworld.blogspot.com
12/15/2012	Poisoned Rationality	http://www.prationality.com
12/16/2012	Storm Goddess Book Reviews & More	http://www.stormgoddessbookreviews.blogspot.com
12/17/2012	Unwrapping Romance	http://unwrappingromance.blogspot.com
12/18/2012	Seduced by a Book	http://www.seducedbyabook.com
12/19/2012	Starry Skies Romance	http://starryskiesromance.wordpress.com
12/20/2012	Mom on the Edge	http://melissa987654321.blogspot.com
12/21/2012	The Book Vixen	http://www.thebookvixen.com
12/22/2012	The Romance Reviews	http://theromancereviews.blogspot.com
12/23/2012	Words of Wisdom From the Scarf Princess	http://wowfromthescarfprincess.blogspot.com
12/24/2012	Blithely Bookish	http://www.blithelybookish.blogspot.com

The Next Big Thing!

Welcome to my next big thing!  

Recently my friend Regina Andrews asked me a few questions about my latest work in progress.  Check out where I'm at with my Bride series! (and read on to win a copy of my latest release, Devil's Details).

What is the working title of your book?

My current work in progress is Traveling Bride, book 3 of my Bride Series.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

When I first wrote Indentured Bride (book 1) I’d intended it as a stand alone story.  As I got to know the secondary characters, particularly Brett’s brother Kendrick and their friend Rick I realized they had stories to tell too. 

I’ve also always been fascinated with the idea of time travel.  Aside from Jude Deveraux Knight in Shining Armor one of my all time favorite movies is Final Countdown starring the USS Nimitz.  In Final Countdown the Nimitz goes back in time to December 6, 1941 and Kirk Douglas, as the captain, has to make a decision about what to do.

I often need to enter a federal building near my job and have business to take care of in the basement.  While down there one day, seeing some of the locked doors my mind started to wander and I began to wonder just what was going on behind those doors.  What if there was a top secret project? What if that project had something to do with a certain sheriff in 1861 Wyoming. Rick will shortly have his story in Traveling Bride.

What genre does your book fall under?

Time Travel, western historical romance.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Hmmm…..Rick is kind of your Taylor Kitsch kind of guy. He’s a blond but Taylor could definitely carry off the part as a guy who has a great sense of humor but it hides a painful secret from his past. He’s also pretty set in his ways and very much a man – a lawman – of 1861.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Don’t let time or distance keep you from the one you love.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

Neither – it will be (hopefully) published by Awe-struck (Mundania) which is where the first two books of the series are housed.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

That’s a kind of difficult question because I work a day job and have had several other books (World in Her Hands, Devil’s Details and With All Dispatch) released in between starting Traveling Bride and finishing it.  I do my research up front but there is always some minute detail that I stumble on that needs a bit of attention. 

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Hmmm – I think pretty much any historical western romance.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

The characters.  Definitely the characters as they developed in the earlier stories.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

The reaction of the Parker Brothers’ wives to some of Samantha’s….friends…

Next week, on November 7, drop by my friend's blogs to see what is their next big thing!

http://ellencross.blogspot.com.au Ellen Cross

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/  Kelley Heckart

http://puretextuality.com Jena Gregoire

erinsinclairwriter.wordpress.com Erin Sinclair

 www.poppensthoughtsonwritingandstuff.blogspot.com

 To win a copy of Devil's Details  leave a comment. 

 And next weekend Mel 

The Delicious Meloicious

will pick a winner!

The Next Big Thing!

Welcome to my next big thing!  

Recently my friend Regina Andrews asked me a few questions about my latest work in progress.  Check out where I'm at with my Bride series! (and read on to win a copy of my latest release, Devil's Details).

What is the working title of your book?

My current work in progress is Traveling Bride, book 3 of my Bride Series.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

When I first wrote Indentured Bride (book 1) I’d intended it as a stand alone story.  As I got to know the secondary characters, particularly Brett’s brother Kendrick and their friend Rick I realized they had stories to tell too. 

I’ve also always been fascinated with the idea of time travel.  Aside from Jude Deveraux Knight in Shining Armor one of my all time favorite movies is Final Countdown starring the USS Nimitz.  In Final Countdown the Nimitz goes back in time to December 6, 1941 and Kirk Douglas, as the captain, has to make a decision about what to do.

I often need to enter a federal building near my job and have business to take care of in the basement.  While down there one day, seeing some of the locked doors my mind started to wander and I began to wonder just what was going on behind those doors.  What if there was a top secret project? What if that project had something to do with a certain sheriff in 1861 Wyoming. Rick will shortly have his story in Traveling Bride.

What genre does your book fall under?

Time Travel, western historical romance.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Hmmm…..Rick is kind of your Taylor Kitsch kind of guy. He’s a blond but Taylor could definitely carry off the part as a guy who has a great sense of humor but it hides a painful secret from his past. He’s also pretty set in his ways and very much a man – a lawman – of 1861.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Don’t let time or distance keep you from the one you love.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

Neither – it will be (hopefully) published by Awe-struck (Mundania) which is where the first two books of the series are housed.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

That’s a kind of difficult question because I work a day job and have had several other books (World in Her Hands, Devil’s Details and With All Dispatch) released in between starting Traveling Bride and finishing it.  I do my research up front but there is always some minute detail that I stumble on that needs a bit of attention. 

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Hmmm – I think pretty much any historical western romance.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

The characters.  Definitely the characters as they developed in the earlier stories.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

The reaction of the Parker Brothers’ wives to some of Samantha’s….friends…

Next week, on November 7, drop by my friend's blogs to see what is their next big thing!

http://ellencross.blogspot.com.au Ellen Cross

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/  Kelley Heckart

http://puretextuality.com Jena Gregoire

erinsinclairwriter.wordpress.com Erin Sinclair

 www.poppensthoughtsonwritingandstuff.blogspot.com

 

 To win a copy of Devil's Details  leave a comment. 

 And next weekend Mel 

The Delicious Meloicious

will pick a winner!

Meet My Friend Susan Elizabeth Alvis

I always get a thrill when one of my friends has a new book come out.  It's one of those moments when you get to see creativity in action.  This week my friend Susan Elizabeth Alvis is here talking about her latest, A Killer's Field.

Hey!!!!! Susan! So what do you have to show us?

Hi Regan,

I’m stopping by today to share an excerpt from A Killer’s Field, a new fictional novella motivated by the senseless I-45 Texas killings, most of which have remained unsolved.  

A few years ago, I became aware of the overwhelming number of unsolved crimes along the I-45 corridor located south of Houston. In an area known as the Texas killing fields, this property has become a dumping ground for some of the country’s most horrific crimes.

Since the early 70s, bodies have been abandoned in these Texas swamps. Many young lives ended too soon and families were devastated as bodies were recovered but never truly laid to rest. Killers seemingly committed the perfect crimes and thanks to the mysteries surrounding so many of the murders, questions were forever left unanswered.

A Killer’s Field is a short young adult Halloween story available in e-format. 

Published by Devine Destinies, the novella is fictional but the inspiration behind the story was developed over time by researching some of the true, and quite brutal, unsolved Texas killings.

A Killer’s Field isn’t a true story. However, when I wrote the novella, I tried to write a short story that would appeal to young people and in some small way let the victims’ families know their loved one hasn’t been forgotten. At the same time, this short story includes a warning for all readers with an    underlying message in regards to social networks, a tool often used when criminals make their first connection with their future victims.

I’d like to invite your readers to check out A Killer’s Field, on sale now at Devine Destinies. Readers, please leave your comments about the cover, short story, or any aspect of A Killer’s Field. I’ll stop by again today and choose one random winner for one free e-gift. If you’re posting a comment, please include an email address or check back to see how you can claim your prize.   

Thank you for sharing your blog with me, Regan. :) 

Susan Elizabeth Alvis

A Killer’s Field by Susan Elizabeth Alvis

“A deadly event turns participants into victims as a Texas killing field becomes ground zero for a Halloween hunt….” A Killer’s Field, Susan Smith Alvis

Blurb: 

Kristen McMurray is flabbergasted when her boyfriend decides to take her to the Texas Killing Fields for Halloween.  She’s not at all impressed with his plans for a romantic evening, let alone the idea of frolicking on the very grounds known to harbor the deadliest of secrets. 

Picturing a moonlit sky high above them and a murderer lurking in the shadows, Kristen is convinced her boyfriend has either lost his mind or worse. Perhaps he’s become a quiet lunatic waiting to emerge. 

Reluctantly, Kristen agrees to spend Halloween in the fields. Unbeknownst to her, they enter the heart of a huge Halloween hunt, an organized event and obvious trap used to entice unsuspecting victims to the very place where dozens of bodies have been previously dumped.

One brush with death leads to another, but Kristen keeps her wits about her as her boyfriend turns their Halloween night into an evening she’ll never forget. While the fields live up to their harrowing name, Kristen faces the horrors of the past. Somewhere along the way, she discovers an inner strength and a will to survive, realizing determination and the desire to live are the only elements ensuring she’ll leave the fields alive!

Excerpt for A Killer’s Field by Susan Smith Alvis

      I’m about as flabbergasted as my Dobermans were when I went outside to feed them prime rib and a vulture swept down and stole the raw meat straight from the pan. The event occurred last week but I can still picture their wide eyes as they stretched their necks upward and barked at the heavens. They were in terrible shock, poor things. After the clever bird escaped, all they could do was stand there and pant, foam forming in the corners of their mouths.

Okay, so I’m not panting or wiping drool from my chin. I am, however, stunned.

“Well, what do you think?” Dennison asks, backing away from his pickup. “Say yes, Kristen. It’ll be a lifetime experience. One you’ll remember forever.”

“What makes you think we’ll live to later share our experiences?”

“You’re so dramatic,” he says, returning to work on his truck. “Most women would see this trip for what it is—an overnight getaway.”

“Visiting the Texas Killing Fields, on Halloween no less, is not my idea of a romantic weekend.” I stare at his back. “Where will we stay?”

“I’ll pack a tent and a sleeping bag.”

Wonderful. For a minute, I consider his idea of snuggling inside confined spaces. That is, until a body bag comes to mind. After all, those fields symbolize decades of horror.

Copyright © 2012

A Killer’s Field by Susan Elizabeth Alvis is available at Devine Destinies. Cover art for A Killer’s Field was created by Carmen Waters.