Sunday, May 11, 2008

Win A Copy of Deb Raney's "Leaving November!"



Hey, we're having a bit of deja vu here at Writer's Journey, but in a good way. The other day I received a copy of Leaving November in the mail as an endorser copy. A while back I featured Deb's fabulous novel with a drawing for an autographed copy of the book.

I absolutely loved the book and I'm thrilled to promote it here again with another drawing. So if you left your name the first time and didn't win or missed the drawing altogether, leave your comment here now along with contact information. If you don't leave the information, I can't include you in the drawing.

Below is the interview I did with Deb back when I had the first drawing. Enjoy and don't forget to leave a comment and contact info so that your name can be thrown in the hat! Last day for leaving your name is Friday, May 16th. Drawing will take place on the 17th.


Daughter of the town drunk, Vienne Kenney has escaped Clayburn for law school in California. But after failing the bar exam—twice—she’s back home with her tail between her legs, managing Latte-dah, the Clayburn cafĂ© turned upscale coffee shop. Jackson Linder runs the art gallery across the street and Vienne has had her eye on him since she was a skinny seventh grader and he was the hunky high school lifeguard who didn’t know she existed.

Now it's his turn to fall for her and suddenly Clayburn seems like a pretty nice place to be . . .until Vienne discovers that Jack is fresh out of rehab and still struggling with the same addiction that ultimately killed her father.

DEBORAH RANEY is at work on her seventeenth novel. Her books have won the RITA Award, the HOLT Medallion, National Reader's Choice Award and Silver Angel from Excellence in Media.

Deborah's first novel, A Vow to Cherish, inspired the World Wide Pictures film of the same title. Deb serves on the advisory board of American Christian Fiction Writers. She and her husband, Ken Raney, have four children and enjoy small-town life in Kansas. Visit Deb on the web athttp://www.deborahraney.com/.

I figured y'all might enjoy a few questions and answers with Deb regarding this book, so here ya go. And when you are done keep reading to learn how you can win a signed copy of Leaving November for yourself!

Q&A with Deb:
Q. What was your inspiration for Leaving November?
A. When I was writing the first book in the series, Remember to Forget, Jackson Linder, a secondary character in the book, really intrigued me. Jack has struggled with something that is my greatest fear: being responsible for the death of another person. I wanted to explore how someone in his shoes could find forgiveness, redemption, and even happiness.

Q. What are you working on now?
A. I've just finished the first draft for the third book in the Clayburn series, Yesterday’s Embers. I have a new contract for another three-book series, and a couple of stand-alone novels to write, but there are other characters from the Clayburn novels begging to have their stories told! I don’t know if I’ll get to write any more Clayburn books, but I’ve loved my time in this little fictional Kansas town!

Q. What do you enjoy most about writing? Least?
A. Most: Having written! Because that means I’m getting reader feedback on my novel—the reward for all the hours of solitude! I also love that I get to be at home and make my own hours.
Least: First-drafting! I love rewriting—taking my editors’ comments and applying them to make my book the best it can be. But the blank page terrifies me! For me, it’s far easier to fix a horrible manuscript than to try to come up with something out of thin air.

Q. What do you do when you're not reading or writing?
A. I love working in the beautiful garden my husband, Ken, designed in our back yard (for a peek, go to
our website about it!) and I love decorating our home. It’s such fun to comb antique shops and flea markets for a great object from the past that I can use on my desk or in my kitchen, or a great piece of furniture to paint or refinish. I’m not much for pretty stuff just for the sake of having it on display, but I love “repurposing” antiques—like the old chamber pot I use for deadheading in the garden, or the antique bank mail sorter that serves as my filing “cabinet.”

As much as I enjoy my career, I’ve always believed that my most precious calling is wife to Ken, my husband of 33 years; mom to four great kids; and now mom-in-law, and “Mimi” to two darling little grandsons. In addition, I have some of the most amazing friends in the world, including a group of women who share my name. We affectionately call ourselves Club Deb. I think being in the solitary profession of writing helps you really appreciate the people you have eye-to-eye contact with!

I can't wait to see who wins this time. This is fun!

29 comments:

CherryBlossomMJ said...

I have the first one and cannot wait to read this one. Please enter me to win!

MJ

cherryblossommj at gmail [dot]com

Unknown said...

I'm new to acfw book club. I'm not a writer but, I love to read! This is my first attempt at posting a comment and entering a drawing. I've not read Deb Raney before but this looks like it would be a good book.

ervin.beth@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Amazing that I'm the first to comment. What an intriguing conflict for a romance and powerful way to share God's redeeming grace. I'd love to win the book.

Blessings and Happy Mothers' Day!
becca.dowling[at]yahoo[dot]com

Eileen Astels Watson said...

I'd love to read another of Deb's books and I don't have this one. And Deb's garden is beautiful!

eileenastels[at]rogers[dot]com

luv2read said...

Enter me in the contest. I have heard a lot of good things about this book. spowell01(at)bellsouth(dot)net

Anonymous said...

I grew up in Kansas so I hope I win!
Karla Akins
karla.akins@gmail.com
http://karlaakins
http://homeschoolblogger.com/karlakakins
http://jesuslovesbikerchickstoo.blogspot.com

Bethany said...

I love Deb Raney's books! She has a way of taking very difficult subjects and giving them a compassionate and intriguing treatment that keeps me glued to the book, while getting me thinking. It sounds like "Leaving November" is another great one!

jimmynmatthewsmom [at] gmail [dot] com

Sarah/Robert said...

Sounds good! Please enter me in the drawing.
sarah(dot)brenner(at)gmail(dot)com

Lucie said...

Please enter me in the contest for "Leaving November". I cannot wait to read it!!

Blessings,
Lucie

Lucie In CA at aol dot com

Rose McCauley said...

Lucky you and lucky us! Thanks for sharing your find, Pam. I would love to win anotehr of Deb's books. crmcc at setel dot com

Patty said...

Don't enter me in the drawing, as I already have a copy. I just wanted everyone to know what a wonderful book it is and that they won't be disappointed.

Gail said...

I haven't read Deb Ranney, but all the glowing comments about this book have me intrigued. Please enter me.

bookwurm 70 [at] yahoo [dot] com

Hope Chastain said...

Please toss my name in the hat, too! thanks! And Happy Mother's Day a little late!

hope _ chastain @ yahoo . com (no spaces)

Sandrastanford.com said...

Please enter me into the drawing.
Sandra Stanford
www.sandrastanford.com

Anonymous said...

Please enter me in the drawing. I'm not a writer yet. I love to read and write but so far my writing has only been letters. Have been thinking of writing stories.

Jo
ladijo40 (at) aol (dot) com

Anonymous said...

Please enter me in your contest to win a copy of Leaving November. It sounds incredible! Thank you. I can be reached at dmthomason13@hotmail.com. Dawn Thomason

Charlotte Schofield said...

Hey there, please enter my name in to the book contest

aidenadara(at)yahoo(dot)com

Becky C. said...

Love your blog, and would love to read this book.

Becky C.

rec at hiwaay dot net

Thank you

Grateful Gramma said...

This sounds like a great book. Hope I win!

Carole said...

Kansas is a great setting and I would love to win this book. Thank you for the opportunity.

cjarvis [at] bellsouth [dot] net

Susan Stitch said...

Please include me in this drawing. Thanks for the link to Deborah's garden -- it gave me some ideas to incorporate in mine!

Susan
likes_to_stamp@sbcglobal.net

tetewa said...

Thanks for the opportunity, please include me! tWarner419@aol.com

Anonymous said...

this sounds like such a great book! please enter me :)

Carolynn said...

I have been wanting to read this book since I first saw it reviewed...everyone is saying good things about it! Thanks for the chance to win!

Julie Lessman said...

ooooo ... like Bethany, I just LOVE Deb Raney books, so sign me up, please!

Julie

gsus at charter dot net

Betty Anne Bantz said...

Wow! I'd love to read this book. Sign me up!
bantzart [at] htc [dot] net

Anonymous said...

would love to read this one! Thanks for the opportunity! :)

Lindsey said...

Oh, I am dying to read this one! Deb Raney's books are so wonderful. :-) Please enter me in the drawing!

ladyufshalott [at] yahoo [dot] com

Thank you!

Lindsey

Janna said...

This looks so good, but I haven't been able to read it yet, please enter me...

Janna
ryanx6 at msn dot com