Give-aways

Today I'm happy to welcome to the blog author Debbie Lynne Costello, in celebration of her new medieval novella release, Sword of the Matchmaker! She is giving away a copy of either Sword of the Matchmaker of her novel Sword of Forgiveness (winner's choice of title and format). Leave a comment or answer one of the questions at the end of this post OR ask her a question to be entered.     PLUS Debbie Lynne is also giving away a choice of a kindle fire with Sword of the Matchmaker or a $50 Amazon Gift Card, $15 Amazon gift card and much more! Hop over to her blog post here to read a review of her book and to enter that give-away. (You can still enter a give-away here by simply leaving a comment.) Without further ado, here is Debbie Lynne! Have you ever wondered if it is true that we're taller than our predecessors? I've read and heard that our ancestors were short and just assumed that meant every generation before us, but that just isn't the case. According to The Year 1000 by Robert Lacey & Danny Danziger, one of the first things noticed about people living in or around the year 1000 is they were tall--very much like we are today. The truth is we are taller than most of our more recent ancestors (1700-1900). Georgian and Victorian England residents, who were malnourished and overcrowded, did not have the good health or the stature by the end of the twentieth century that we share today with our access to food and medicine. So when we picture those knights in shining armor as tall and muscular, good news, you are correct! According to Lacy & Danzinger, nine out of ten people lived in the country. A lush green and unpolluted land that provided plentiful food and nourishment, allowing the medieval man to grow strong limbs and very healthy teeth. So that knight who is the hero, guess what? He really does have a full set of white teeth! If these people were so healthy one would think they'd live as long as we do, but here the differences are drastic. Life was short. A simple cut or wound could take a person's life. In the medieval time period, an illness or childhood disease that today we can stop with a visit to the doctor could spread like a fire and wipe out a whole village. Because of this, a boy of twelve years of age was considered old enough to swear an oath to the king. Young girls were married off in their early teens to much older men. Life expectancy was almost half of what it is today. Most people died in their forties, and for a person to reach into their fifties was quite impressive and they were revered. Life for the average person was hard, but pretty simple. There obviously wasn't the local grocery or clothing stores for running down to get the needed item as we have today. That being said, television often depicts the medieval man like he only wore brown clothes and lived in a drab world. But that couldn't be farther from the truth. They may not have had the rich dyes that produce the vibrant colors we have today, but that didn't keep them from having colored clothes. They used vegetation to dye fabric and with those dyes they were able to produce bright yellows, greens, and reds. Speaking of grocery stores, what do you think might be a valuable food commodity in the year 1000? This food was considered so valuable it was even used to pay taxes. The food was honey. The 11th century man was known to say, It is a lucky day when a swarm of bees settled in your thatch. Thatch of course being what the medieval person used as a roof. For those who were lucky enough to have a swarm in their roof, not only received honey, but propolis, a building material, that is a reddish resin used by the worker bees. Propolis was a great healing balm used for treating wounds and was highly valued. But those bees nesting in the home owner's thatch, not only gave the owner honey and propolis, but the beeswax brought an even higher price than an equal amount of honey. I love the medieval time period, although I don't believe I'd like to have lived during that time. Life was hard. But it is a fun time period to write about. Most medieval authors take writer liberties such as, our heroes and heroines isn't depicted quite as hard as it most likely was, and our heroines are not young teen girls marrying thirty year old men.  So what do you think? Would you rather have writers take a few liberties and make their hero and heroine, an exception to the rule, or would you prefer to see history portrayed exactly as it was? The next stop in Debbie Lynne's blog tour will be on Anne Payne's blog on June 13. About Sword of the Matchmaker Penelope Beatty made up her mind long ago she would live and die a Scottish warrior not a wife. But when nearly all her clan is killed and she is betrayed, she loathes doing the unthinkable, but must seek the help of an Englishman who owed her father’s his life. Thomas Godfrey never married, but when a Scottish warrior lass shows up needing his aid, he finds her both annoying and irresistible. But the last thing he wants is to marry a woman who fights alongside him. If he was going to marry—which he isn’t—it would be to a soft, submissive woman. But when the Lady Brithwin meets the Scottish lass, she’s sure she’s found the perfect match for Thomas and nothing is going to stop her from seeing a summer wedding.                  Purchase Here More Medieval Fiction Love Medieval Stories? Read the first book in the Winds of Change Series, Sword of Forgiveness. After the death of her cruel father, Brithwin is determined never again to live under the harsh rule of any man. Independent and resourceful, she longs to be left alone to manage her father’s estate. But she soon discovers a woman has few choices when the king decrees she is to marry Royce, the Lord of Rosencraig. As if the unwelcome marriage isn’t enough, her new husband accuses her of murdering his family, and she is faced with a challenge of either proving her innocence or facing possible execution. Royce of Hawkwood returns home after setting down a rebellion to find his family brutally murdered. When all fingers point to his betrothed and attempts are made on his life, Royce must wade through murky waters to uncover the truth. Yet Brithwin’s wise and kind nature begin to break down the walls of his heart, and he soon finds himself in a race to discover who is behind the evil plot before Brithwin is the next victim. Purchase Here About the Author Debbie Lynne Costello has enjoyed writing stories since she was eight years old. She raised her family and then embarked on her own career of writing the stories that had been begging to be told. She and her husband have four children and live in upstate South Carolina. She has worked in many capacities in her church and is currently the Children's Director. Debbie Lynne has shown and raised Shetland Sheepdogs for eighteen years and still enjoys litters now and then. In their spare time, she and her husband take pleasure in camping and riding their Arabian and Tennessee Walking horses. Connect with Debbie Lynne! www.debbielynnecostello.com www.theswordandspirit.blogspot.com www.HHHistory.com https://www.facebook.com/debbielynnecostello https://twitter.com/DebiLynCostello https://www.pinterest.com/debbielynne1/ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9458076.Debbie_Lynne_Costello https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DebbieLynneCostello https://smile.amazon.com/Debbie-Lynne Costello/e/B00TRT6RYS/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2?qid=1494110062&sr=8-2

Flames lapped at the monk’s robes. He raced down the corridors that crackled with the collision of dampness and heat, dodging fire-lit debris. So this was to be the end, then. The night the stones of Ballyfir Monastery would tell their last tale… So begins the tale of a humble monk, his unwavering courage, and the bronze bottle he sends into the night with a prayer that its contents might bring hope—the very word etched into the bottle—to someone, somewhere. The Message in a Bottle Romance Collection follows the journey of that same bottle throughout the centuries in five novellas. It travels the world and touches hearts… and today, we’d like to invite you along for that journey. Would you care to come along with us for a look behind the scenes in this short five-stop blog tour? At each stop, one of the five co-authors will interview another, to take you chronologically through the novella collection and unwrap some fun bonus material. Joanne is kicking us off with an interview of Heather, who wrote the first novella in the collection.  Oh! And don’t miss the chance to enter the giveaway (more information at the bottom of this post). Thank you for joining us, friends! Go Behind the Scenes with Joanne Bischof I'm delighted to be hosting Joanne on my blog today! I'm sure many of you already know and love her work, including her most recent full-length historical romance, The Lady and the Lionheart. Joanne Bischof has a deep passion for Appalachian culture and writing stories that shine light on God’s grace and goodness. She lives in the mountains of Southern California. When she’s not weaving Appalachian romance, she’s blogging about faith, folk music, and the adventures of country living that bring her stories to life. She is a Christy Award-finalist and author of Be Still My Soul, Though My Heart is Torn, and My Hope is Found (WaterBrook Multnomah).  1) Did you learn anything new in the research for The Swelling Sea? Joanne: I learned a lot about rowboats in the Victorian era! It seems such a small thing but rowing plays such a large role in this story that getting the details as correct as possible was really key. Feeling really outside of my element, I read articles about the different types of boats available during that time—both for leisure rowing, and for sport, which is what the team of four young men in this novella do. I also studied up on which colleges did or didn’t have a crew team in 1890. I watched dozens of videos on the sport and the techniques involved from rower positions to signals and calls. A friend who’s a rower helped me immensely with the details and what began as one of the biggest challenges of the research ended up being a really special collaboration. 2) What makes your heroine unique in this story? Joanne: I’d say definitely her memory loss. During a near-drowning, she suffered from oxygen asphyxiation as a child and has never fully recovered. Her symptoms not only included her having to relearn how to use some of her motor skills on one side of her body, but working on regaining her memory—and as the story plays out—learning to make peace with the possibility of not regaining some memories at all. Her personality is a lot of fun because she gets confused easily and it’s rather endearing. She’s also strong and determined, so she doesn’t let it beat her. I think it’s one of the reasons why the hero, Jonas, is first taken with her. She’s very unique and that made her a fun heroine to get to write. 3) What kind of role does the setting play in The Swelling Sea?  Joanne: The setting is a big one as the novella is set at the historic Hotel Del Coronado. As a native southern California girl, Coronado Island is one of my favorite places to visit. It’s just a two-hour drive from where we live and any excuse to head that way is worth it. Crossing over the great bridge is a magical experience and seeing the grand Hotel Del which was built in 1888 is even more special. I’ve visited it many times and each time, get to discover new nooks and crannies of the hotel. It’s iconic enough to have been filmed in “Some Like it Hot” alongside Marilyn Monroe, and has housed many famous actors and actresses as well as 14 US presidents from Taft to Kennedy. Walking its halls and corridors, and standing upon its beach is like experiencing a whimsical part of Victorian-era history. I hope that as readers discover it within Jonas and Rosie’s story, they’ll understand the magic pull it has and why I return to that place time and time again. 4) How does writing for a collection differ from writing your individual novels/novellas? Joanne: It differs in the sense that we all have a common thread to stick to. With this series, of course, the bottle, and what a fun one it was! What made this collection extra unique, is that it begins with a unified prologue and ends with an epilogue, both which tie the stories all together. The bottle also travels from novella to novella, so there is a commonality touching the hands and lives of all our characters. That made it really special. Not only for the stories themselves, but for getting to work that closely with the other authors. 5) Any lessons or elements of encouragement you hope the reader will take away from your novella? Joanne: This was the first time that I didn’t think I would be able to complete a deadline. Due to some personal trials, the writing for this novella was easily harder than any other story I’ve written. When I was near to giving up (and my agent and co-authors were rallying around me) what happened is that I began to simply write my heart right into the tale. Like Rosie, I didn’t have it all together, but like her, I wanted to cling to the promise that there is always hope. It was such a gift from the Lord, that amid my own struggles, I got to be a part of this collection centered around that one, incredible word. HOPE. My greatest wish for this story is to bring that very reminder to readers who might be going through their own trials or struggles. That it would be a reminder that we’re never alone, and the world is a large place filled with hurting people who struggle just like us. It’s a comfort in knowing that we walk shoulder to shoulder with so many others.   The Giveaway  Thank you for being here! If you haven’t had a chance yet, do hop over and enter this hope-themed giveaway, which we hope will be a blessing to our readers. Top 3 Reasons to enter: We want to celebrate you! We’re so thankful for our readers, and this giveaway is one way we’d like to thank you. Super quick and easy giveaway form—as simple as entering your name and e-mail, then clicking through to submit! As you’ll see, there is a chance for additional entries, but it’s entirely optional. …you could win a wee plot o’ land in Ireland! Not to mention this. . . And the . . . This was the final stop in our Message in a Bottle 5-stop blog hop! (Psst, if you missed my interview on Maureen Lang's blog, you can find it here.) If you’re just now joining us, do stop by Joanne’s post. She kicked us off with a wonderful interview with Heather and we’re so excited to share some behind-the-scenes fun from each story with you. Thank you for joining us! (One final note: If your comment doesn't appear on my blog at first, never fear. They will wait for me to moderate and approve them, which I will do as often as I can. Thank you for your patience with me on this, as I am finishing up my next novel this week, as well!)  

I'm so delighted to share a release date with one of my favorite authors, Laura Frantz, whose book A Moonbow Night launches on January 3 right alongside The Mark of the King! To celebrate the "birthday" of both our eighteenth-century-set books, we are teaming up to give one lucky winner a set of both new releases! (Details on how to enter at the end of this post.) Here's the blurb for A Moonbow Night: Her wilderness survival skills are without rival.  But her greatest talent is keeping other people's secrets. After fleeing Virginia, Temperance Tucker and her family established an inn along the Shawnee River. It's a welcome way station for settlers and frontiersmen traveling through the wild Cumberland region of Kentucke--men like Sion Morgan, a Virginia surveyor who arrives at the inn with his crew, looking for an experienced guide.  Though he balks when Tempe is appointed to lead his team through the wilderness, it isn't long before Sion must admit that her abilities may outmatch his own. But can the tenuous tie they are forming survive the dangers waiting just around the bend? With her signature sweeping style and ability to bring the distant past to vivid life, Laura Frantz beckons you to join her in a land of Indian ambushes, conflicting loyalties, and a tentative love that meanders like a cool mountain stream. And the blurb for The Mark of the King: Life in This New World Requires More Strength Than She Ever Imagined After the death of her client, midwife Julianne Chevalier is imprisoned and branded, marking her as a criminal beyond redemption. Hoping to reunite with her brother, a soldier, she trades her life sentence for exile to the fledgling French colony of Louisiana. The price of her transport, however, is a forced marriage to a fellow convict.  New Orleans is nothing like Julianne expects. The settlement is steeped in mud and mosquitoes, and there is no news of her brother, Benjamin. When tragedy strikes, she turns to military officer Marc-Paul Girard for help, but does he know more about her brother than he will admit?  With her dreams shattered, Julianne must find her way in this dangerous land, where only grace--and love--can overcome the stigma of the king's mark upon her shoulder. Now, if you're already familiar with Laura Frantz and love her writing, the good news is that RT Reviews says you'll love The Mark of the King too! :)  What an honor! Some books just immerse the reader in the setting, and I think Laura's novels are all excellent examples of that. What is it about a book that makes you feel like you are "right there" with the characters? Leave a comment answering the question, and you'll be entered in the drawing! You may enter by commenting either here, or on Laura's blog. Your entry will be counted either way! *Enter by the end of Dec. 31. The winner will be announced on release day, January 3!   Bonus: Free Gift within Moments! Psst! If you're new around here, welcome! I'm so glad you've stopped by. Did you know that when you subscribe to my e-newslsetter, you'll receive a FREE Christian Historical Fiction Travel Guide? Plus, you'll be part of an exclusive mailing list that is the first to hear about new book releases. It's only mailed one to three times a year, depending on how many books I have coming out. Ready to subscribe and receive your free gift? Do it here. Thank you! (You'll get the link free link once you confirm from your email inbox that you really want to subscribe.)

As we get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving, I want you all to know that I am thankful for you! So I’ve teamed up with more than 55 fantastic inspirational historical romance authors to give away a huge collection of novels, PLUS a Kindle Fire to one lucky winner! You can win my novel Spy of Richmond, plus books from authors like Connilyn Cossette, Elizabeth Camden, Kristi Ann Hunter, Michelle Griep, Roseanna White, Melanie Dickerson, Suzanne Woods Fisher, and more! This is the easiest drawing to enter I've ever seen. It will take less than a minute--maybe less than 30 seconds!  Enter the giveaway by clicking here: bit.ly/historical-inspy Good luck!

Friends, I am so excited for two reasons. First, I turned in the manuscript for Free to Lean: Making Peace with Your Lopsided Life last night! Woohoo! (It releases from Discovery House in August 2017.) Second: today is RELEASE DAY for Heather Day Gilbert's amazing Viking tale, Forest Child! Find it on Amazon, BarnesandNoble, iBooks, Kobo, and Goodreads. I had the privilege of reading this early and endorsing it. Here's what I had to say: Forest Child is one of the bravest works of fiction I’ve ever read. Brimming with tension, yet laced with tenderness, this powerful saga is sure to keep you turning the pages far into the night. An ingenious blend of Viking history and timeless issues of the heart still relevant today. Heather graciously answered a few burning questions I had after reading Forest Child: Heather Day Gilbert 1) What first inspired you to write inspirational Viking stories?  I was interested in my Viking heritage (I'm allegedly related to Eirik the Red/Leif Eiriksson via my Norwegian blood), so I bought a copy of The Sagas of Icelanders. I read up on them and found stories of Viking women who did heroic things—one was a Christian named Gudrid, and one was a warrior named Freydis. 2) Well that is the coolest thing, being allegedly related to Eirik and Leif! I love both God's Daughter and Forest Child so much, but I think Forest Child is my favorite. Do you have a favorite character that you've written? If so, which one and why?  That is always such a tough question. I'm a little bit in love with each of my leading men (and some of the side men, like Leif Eiriksson and Snorri Thorbrandsson!). I think it's because I'm in my main characters' heads, so I'm writing men I know fit with that character—but the men, as you know, are far from perfect! I would say I love Thorfinn Karlsefni for a fave male character and probably Freydis for female in my Viking series, but don't tell Gudrid I said that! She would probably stew over that slight for weeks. Gudrid tends to ruminate on things, whereas Freydis just rushes right into situations. Let's just say I relate to Freydis a bit more. ;) 3) I had a hard enough time doing research on eighteenth-century France for my upcoming novel. How on earth did you research for these books?  It is tough, because there are limited written records of the Viking era. I based both novels so closely on The Saga of Greenlanders and Eirik the Red's Saga that the plotlines stemmed from there. One fantastic resource I discovered while writing Forest Child is the Hurstwic.com site. They study/replicate Viking weapons and warfare, but have also compiled some helpful articles on things like Viking farm life and the Althing council meetings. Vikinganswerlady.com is another helpful online resource. And of course I've accumulated a lot of books on the period! As you know, when you write book 2 in a series set in a particular time period, you have a better grasp of the foods they ate then, materials used for clothing, houses, etc., so that makes those details easier to integrate the second go-round. 4) Freydis, daughter of Eirik the Red, was quite a strong, brave character! In telling her story, were you tempted to gloss over some aspects if her life or character? How did you handle that?  Oh, yes. Yes indeed. I would have loved to leave out one of the most defining moments of her warrior "career", but I knew that was impossible. Every Norse historian knows exactly the event I'm referring to—it was that famous. So I knew there would be no glossing over it! But because I have a strong Christian reader base, I knew I had to make sure the violence wasn't over-the-top and graphic. It was a real tightrope of balancing her real-life actions with a story that wouldn't make you hate her. It took years of pondering and a heavy blanket of prayers to finally break through and discover a reason I thought could explain why a woman would have taken the action she did. After I wrote that pivotal scene, I felt such a sense of relief. It still seemed a bit edgy compared to most Christian fiction, but I felt God helped me handle it in a way that (hopefully!) wouldn't alienate any of my loyal readers. And as it turns out, many of my readers are saying they love this book more than God's Daughter, so that is just evidence that God did this thing, not me! 5) I thought you handled that scene amazingly well. I'm so thrilled that you have another Viking tale coming out in March in the Message in a Bottle Romance Collection! Can you tell us just a little about what we can look forward to in that story? I'm so excited about this collection, because you know I'm dying to read YOUR novella that's in it! My novella shares the tale of a Viking, Ari, who sails to Ireland to take vengeance for his brother's death, but through a series of God-directed events, he winds up getting to know a rather solitary and bookish Irish princess named Britta. Will they learn to overcome their cultural differences and trust each other? I'd probably better stop right there, because I have a tendency to be a walking "spoiler alert"! Thank you so much, Heather! It's going to be a fantastic collection, I can't wait for it to release in March! Thanks so much for letting me visit, Jocelyn! And right now, I have four softcover book bundle giveaways going on to celebrate the release of Forest Child. Here's the link for your readers to check those out: http://bit.ly/2e0eHCi ! Enter before November 13 for a chance to win!  Yes, these are amazing book bundle packages! See the photo collage below and then jump to the link Heather provided to enter the drawings! Congrats, Heather, on your truly wonderful new book.