SARAH'S GARDEN-INTERVIEW WITH KELLY LONG--FREE BOOKS!

I’m so excited to introduce you to my best friend and writing partner, Kelly Long, who writes Amish Romance. Kelly’s books are flying off the shelves, but that’s no surprise to me. Here's the blurb from Sarah's Garden.

When Sarah realizes that she has fallen in love with an Englisch doctor, she must choose between loving a man and losing her family.

Deep in the heart of Pennsylvania's Allegheny Mountains, shy Sarah King is happiest when working in her vibrant Amish kitchen garden, but new family responsibilities lead her into the confusing world of the Englisch.

Sarah finds her life turned around when she encounters the community's new Englisch veterinarian, Grant Williams. His blue-gold eyes and his obvious concern for her people attract her immediately. Sarah seeks solace and direction from the Lord as she creates a quilt pattern which details her struggle between two worlds.

The Lord is guiding Sarah to follow His will, but will she listen?


Kelly Long is the author of Sarah’s Garden, the first in the Patch of Heaven Series, Lilly’s Wedding Quilt, Christmas Cradles from the Expanded Edition of An Amish Christmas and A Marriage of the Heart from An Amish Love. She focuses Amish fiction to represent the Amish culture of North Central Pennsylvania and the Allegheny Mountains, where she was born and raised. She previously taught both English and Latin at the high school level and holds degrees from both Penn State University and The University of New Hampshire.

***Kelly will give away autographed copies of both Sarah’s Garden and Christmas in Lancaster County The Expanded Edition*** when you post a comment to my blog. Check back next Friday evening for the drawing.

Kelly, tell us a little about your book.


Sarah’s Garden is about the transforming power of God’s love and the renewing potential He creates in our lives, as exhibited by the Amish in both their kitchen gardens and quilting patterns.

Why do you think Amish novels are so popular right now?


I truly believe that this is the emergence of a new literary subgenre, not just the hottest thing. What Stephen Crane did for the Western in A Bride Comes to Yellow Sky and Poe did for horror, writers like Beverly Lewis are doing to build the foundations of an enduring expansion in literature.

Where do you get your inspirations?

Childhood memories mostly or from overheard snippets of random conversations, but most especially from God. He is the True Artist, the Author and Finisher…

What is your favorite aspect of the writing process?

The stirrings of the initial ideas for a story…that aha moment when you can begin. Otherwise, writing is very hard work.

Who influenced your writing the most, besides God?


My sixth grade teacher, Bob Dwyer, from Lock Haven, Penn. (Still teaching—go Mr. Dwyer!) He taught about writing as process not muse driven moments of emotion.

What are you reading in your spare time?


Uhh…let’s see…The Bible on a daily basis, An Alchemy of Genres, Save the Cat, and The Moral Premise…


If you could live anywhere on earth, where would that be?


Far, far, far away…just AWAY…from the daily stresses of life.

If you could meet one famous person still alive today, who would that be?


That’s a tough one. I’d like to meet a lot of dead people…I suppose I’d like to meet a child who will someday change the world for the better. (But that could be any child---so…)

What do you like to do for fun when you’re not writing?

Sleep. It’s vastly fun to dream and escape.

What gift did you receive that you will always treasure?


Eternal life.

What’s your favorite Bible verse?

It always changes…Right now, I’m loving the verses that make up the encounter between David and Goliath and remembering that the true giant in the story is God.

When new projects are you working on now and when will your next book release?


I’m finishing edits on Lilly’s Wedding Quilt and beginning a novella for a collection with Beth Wiseman and Kathy Fuller called An Amish Wedding. An Amish Love releases in late December.

Where can readers connect with you?

Kelly Long Fans at Facebook…Amishromance at Twitter…www.kellylongbooks.com (still under construction) and at Author Central on Amazon, and at AmishLiving.com. I love to hear from readers!

Thanks, Kelly for taking the time to be interviewed for my readers as well as yours. It was fun to pick your brain aside from our normal brainstorming time together. You can check out all of Kelly's books at Christianbook.com or Amazon. Don't forget to post a comment for the drawing next week for your chance to win.

Until we meet again,

WINNER OF A LOVE OF HER OWN!

Congratulations! E.J., you're the winner of an autographed copy of my new book! I want to thank all of you for entering, but don't give up--there's always another contest just around the corner. :)

I've enjoyed reading the posts of where you've been this summer and what you've been up to. Now let's look forward to fall and cooler weather--at least I am after the miserable Atlanta heat. I believe it surpassed all the other years we had on record.

I'll be doing something new very soon that I normally don't do on my blog, but I'm making an exception. I'll interview my writing partner and best friend, Kelly Long. Kelly's new book, Sarah's Garden, is out and it's a fabulous hit with readers! I was the first to read and critique it as she wrote it while we brainstormed together. It's a wonderful Amish love story and if you're a fan of that genre, then you'll want to read it! I'll see if she'll give away a copy when you post to her interview.

E.J., send me your email addy and I'll get my book out to you. Thank you all again for entering.

I'll catch up with you later... down on the trail...

Maggie

REMINDER-ONE MORE CHANCE TO WIN!

I thought I'd give y'all one more chance to win an autographed copy of A Love of Her Own. A week ago I blogged that I was still alive and gave an little update on what I've been up to this summer. At the bottom of that post, I asked if you wanted to share what you've been up to this summer and make a comment to be entered on Aug. 22nd for a copy of my book.

To date, I only have two comments back to me. There's still time to enter. If you've already read the book, maybe you'd like a copy for a gift. I'll draw a name Sunday night on the 22nd. Check back here to see if you've won.

For your enjoyment, here's picture of butterflies feeding on a trailing hydrangea hanging across the fence in my back yard. Aren't they pretty? When I snapped the picture, I was trying to get a blue and black butterfly that was in the middle of these two, but he flittered off. Most of my potted flowers are looking scraggly in the high heat we've experienced for two months, but my neighbor's tall bush, right outside my office window, is giving me delight each day.

My first book, No Place for a Lady, is a Crossings Book Club feature for their summer and August catalog. I'm so happy people are enjoying that first book!

What new delight is going on in your world? I'd love to hear from you.

Until later,

Maggie

A SLICE OF WYOMING HISTORY

Wyoming holds a special in my heart with its beauty of the Tetons. I want to go back again someday soon to visit. But if you're interested in a piece of history, check out my post on Bustles and Spurs today. Here's the link:
www.BustlesAndSpurs.com.

Maggie

WHERE YA BEEN?

I'm still alive! I could tell you that I was on a Caribbean cruise or at 5 star resorts in the Colorado Mountains, or teaching at a writer’s conference, but the truth is I’ve been holed up (not ‘hold’as in cowboy slang), in my office during the hot, humid, Atlanta weather with soaring temps hovering in the 100’s. Not very romantic, even for a romance writer.

I did meet my deadline in July for Deeply Devoted, book one in my next series. Woo Hoo! I know my agent read it in one sitting and said she loved it. Now I want to hear the same from my editor, which should be any day now. I worked really hard on it. I hope they keep the title.

Maybe you’ve noticed that I’ve been playing around the last month with my blog. I hope you like the new look. The dogwood is one of my favorite flowers and oh so Southern like me. There’s a legend about the dogwood that it was the tree the cross that they crucified Christ on was made from. I’ve blogged about it before. I’m also working on a website with help, of course, and hope to have it up and running in the near future.

I’ve read a bunch of books the last few months in between writing and still have a humongous stack that keeps growing. I’ll comment about my thoughts later on about those.

I’ve been brainstorming with my writing bud, Kelly, regularly and somehow we balance each other’s insanity! Only other writers can understand what I mean. I’m planning on interviewing her as soon as her deadline has been met.

I bought a new camera…much like what I already had, but still haven’t taken the time to read the manual. My other one just up and died. But I needed something easy for my blogging, and taking quick shots, though I’d like to have a camera like my daughter has. Then I’d be forced to learn how to use the settings. By the way, Sheri has a real talent for taking excellent and unusual pictures. A mom can brag!

The Women’s Ministry at my church, Johnson Ferry, has chosen my first book, No Place for a Lady, for their Chick-Lit book club for January! I am so thrilled about that! A Love of Her Own ranks #16 for the Kindle in Christian Romance on Amazon and #25 under bestseller books presently. In overall Christian Fiction, it ranks #23 on Kindle and #40 in books. Of course, that number changes regularly, but I’ve been holding a top spot, so I’m pleased as punch!

I’ve been researching for second book in the new series, the last couple of days, trying to get my thoughts together about the plot, etc. I want to get underway with that book next week.

We had our Sanctuary Choir at church fall kickoff again, and I like things to get back to our normal schedule. Guess I like continuity. We have a refurbished and enlarged choir loft but it’s still too small. But that’s always a good thing.

This summer also had its rough times because that’s just part of the life experience. Some were very trying days for me. One in July was the loss of our son-in-law’s father, a Viet Nam war hero, a dear friend to us as well. My niece is battling breast cancer, and my sister who has MS is hopeful about a new drug that she hopes to be able start soon. But like the butterflies flying around outside my office window, I know that God cares about every tear, every heartache, every struggle, and every joy that we experience. It’s part of His plan but don’t ask me to explain it. Only He knows.

I’d love to hear from you—what things have been happening in your life? It’s always uplifting to bear each other’s burdens because it takes your mind off your own troubles. I’ll draw a name on Aug. 22nd for a free autographed copy of my new book when you post a comment.

Hope I haven’t rambled on too much, but after all…I am a writer.

Until next time,

Maggie