Win a Free Copy of Maureen Lang's My Sister Dilly!

October is going to be a great month at Writer's Journey as I get caught up on my book reviews and interviews and contests.

We're starting out with a great read by Maureen Lang that is just out from Tyndale. Many of you are familiar with Maureen's historical novels, but this time you are in for a treat. "Dilly" is a contemporary novel that is all about relationships. Hannah Williams comes back from California to the small farm town in central Illinois where she grew up. She thinks she's coming to help her sister who has paid the price of a bad decision. A decision Dilly made because Hannah wasn't there to help her. She's driven to do this although she loves life in California and loves the man she left behind there.

I don't want to tell you more because you need to read it for yourself. The story begins in a slow, easy pace, much like life is in Downstate Illinois, which is what Chicagoans (where I live) call any place in Illinois that isn't near Chicago :-). But the action picks up quickly and before you know it you are turning the pages as fast as you can read!

Maureen is kind enough to offer a pristine copy of My Sister Dilly to the winner of a contest I'm running. Next Monday, on my birthday, October 6th, I will throw all the names of those who leave a comment to this post on the randomizer and see whose name comes out in first place.

Below is an interview with Maureen about the writing of My Sister Dilly. Enjoy and be sure to leave a comment to win your own free copy of this excellent book!

1. My Sister Dilly is a departure from the historical genre you usually write in. What prompted you to write the story?

I vividly recall the exact moment this story took shape. I was talking to my sister-in-law, who, like me, has a child with a disability. We often talk about how things are, and she told me of another mom to a disabled child who was serving time in prison. Even as my sister-in-law was telling me the story, I remember praying, “Oh, no, this story is too hard, Lord. I cannot possibly write it. Why are You nudging me to do this?”

But it just wouldn’t go away, even though I didn’t feel equipped. The circumstances seemed too serious, even though from the get-go I started telling myself that if I could insert some kind of romance I might be able to make it through the storyline.

So I started corresponding with my sister-in-law’s friend, who was so helpful to me even as she’s still serving time. Her input was invaluable, and the story really started to take shape.
Another thing that made this particular story more difficult was the setting. It had to be a small, rural town, similar to where my husband grew up. I knew it would be a delicate balance to create a character who wouldn’t like small town living, but I didn’t want to offend so many people I love who live in small towns!

2. Not only is this not an historical, but you also write the story in first person point of view. How did that come about? Did you find it easier to write in this format or harder than third person?

The first person POV was a definite surprise to me, since I tend to prefer 3rd person both for my own reading and for my writing. But when I sat down to experiment with this storyline, it just naturally came out from the first person POV of the older sister.

It wasn’t long before the story idea was contracted with Tyndale, and as I seriously proceeded with the book, the first person POV still seemed like it was the best fit—for the book, not necessarily for me. I sent a sample to my editor and asked her what she thought. Should I change it to 3rd person? I was almost hoping she’d say yes, change it, because that’s the format I’m more familiar with. But to my surprise she wrote back almost immediately and said to keep it in first. It was working.

So it stayed that way, and I’m really happy with it. It was one of those things that really served the story best, as if it couldn’t have been told any other way.

Later, it was my editor who suggested a few chapters in Dilly’s POV, also in first person. And I loved it! I wish I could say those chapters were my idea. ☺

3. Do you think you’ll write another first-person novel in the future?

I never say never, so who knows! 3rd person continues to be more in my comfort zone, but now that I know I CAN write in first, it’s not so scary. It would have to serve the story best, though.

4. Right after I read “Dilly” I went on a road trip through Central Illinois and kept thinking about your story as I drove along and looked at the farms dotting the landscape. How did you come to situate the story in that locale?

I really thought the small town setting served the story best because small towns are known for a closer-knit community. If people can isolate even amidst a tighter community, then maybe this isolation really is a factor more unique to families with disabled kids.

5. A funny thing I noticed that really reminded me of your story was the rows of yellow directional arrows on a side road warning drivers of the road narrowing. You describe a similar thing in your book that warned drivers of a turn the road. Is this something indicative to that part of Illinois or is it coincidental that I came upon a similar thing where I was?

I tend to think it’s not that much of a coincidence. If you’ve flown over rural areas, you might have noticed how absolutely square the acreage usually is. Roads tend to follow that pattern, so unless there is a natural reason (like a lake, hills, woods, etc) for a curve, here in flat farm country it really is divided into even squares. So changes in what the road is expected to be, from narrowing to curving, tend to be high lighted for safety reasons.

6. How important is it to have these kind of little details in a story to personalize the setting?

Oh my goodness, I love details! Whether I’m reading or writing, that’s the element that makes a book really come alive. The trick is not to get too detailed and bore the reader, or go off track from the story. If the details really reflect the story, they deepen the texture and can make the characters absolutely breathe.

7. How did you conceive the characters, i.e. the two sisters and Mac, the Los Angeles boyfriend of the older sister?

When I heard about the woman who inspired the story, I knew I didn’t want the serious challenges of her life to be the main POV character. I didn’t want to take my readers (or myself) to that dark place where she did what she did to land herself in jail to begin with. I knew I needed to start the story after the worst was behind her, at that point of hopeful healing, but I was also concerned about the sympathy factor. So the older sister, also flawed, was born. She was a step away from the really blackest part of the story. She seemed safer to me, both for my own comfort and for my readers who want an escape.

And Mac…well, I have to admit my husband plays a part in the inspiration behind all of my heroes. As I mentioned, he grew up in a small town, but after college he lived out in California for a few years before returning to the Midwest. So his experience played a part in the formation of my characters.

8. Did the storyline change by the time you finished the story or was it in place from the start? I guess this is another way to ask if you are a seat-of-the-pants writer or a plotter :-).

I’m definitely a seat-of-the-pants writer. I knew from the beginning that there would be a faction of the story representing the public’s abhorrence over the type of crime Dilly committed. But I didn’t know about her needing to help out another woman who committed the same crime until coming to that dreaded middle—knowing the end was too far away and something had to keep those pages turning. It worked out well, I thought!

9. What can readers look forward to next from Maureen Lang?

I’m going back to my safe historicals, at least for the time being. Although if my characters could come alive and you could interview them, I doubt they’d say there was anything “safe” about the circumstances I’ve put them in! The setting is rural again, but this time in Northern France, during the First World War. That setting continues to intrigue me, mainly because it’s on the cusp of modern living and yet (especially in rural areas) still so historical. And the backdrop of that war in particular, where the fighting was for reasons no one really understood, makes for great conflict on any scale.

I don’t have a final title for this book, in my mind it’s just Book One of a three book series, and it’ll be released from Tyndale in September of 2009.

I’ve actually been blogging about the process, from the sale through a research trip to Belgium and Northern France, and the topic will continue on through the editing process, cover design and marketing. You can check that out at: http://maureenlang.blogspot.com/

Thanks so much for having me, Pam! This was fun.

And it was having you here, Maureen.

Okay, folks, before you click out of here, be sure to leave a comment to win your own free copy of My Sister Dilly sent directly to you from the author, Maureen Lang, herself. I'll be she'll even sign it for you :-).

Featurning Cara Putman's Deadly Exposure - Win a Free Copy!

This has been an exciting month for my friend, Cara Putman. She has seen the birth of two babies! The most important birth, of course, is the arrival of her third child, Rebecca, just two weeks ago. And the other birth was that of her second book to be published. Deadly Exposure is a mystery in Love Inspired's Romantic Supsense line.

Cara describes herself as “an attorney, wife, mom, women's ministry leader, and all around crazy woman. Crazy about God, my husband, and my kids, that is.” In her "spare" time she serves as publicity officer for American Christian Fiction Writers (www.acfw.com) and adviser to the ACFW Indiana chapter.

I had the privilege of meeting Cara several years ago in a mentoring group with ACFW. At the time she was just sticking her toe in the waters of fiction writing. While we were in that group she submitted for critiquing the manuscript that eventually became Deadly Exposure. It wasn't long before her writing career took off like a whirlwind. Within two years I watched as she was awarded her first book contract for Canteen Dreams from Barbour's Heartsong Presents imprint. It's been exciting to watch Cara's career blossom and grow.

Now I have another privilege! Being able to be a part of Cara's blog tour for Deadly Exposure. I guarantee you that you will not be disappointed in this fast-paced mystery that takes place in Lincoln, Nebraska. Imagine attending an Andrew Lloyd Webber production of Cats and discovering after the first act that the woman in an adjoining box was murdered while you were entranced by the music on stage. That's what happens to television reporter, Dani Richards. Imagine when the police come to investigate the murder and the lead investigator is the same man you were romantically involved with ten years earlier. That's what happens to Dani Richards. Imagine that someone doesn't want you to find out who murdered the woman and will go to any extreme to make sure you are silenced. That's what happens to Dani Richards. The tension and excitement oozes from nearly every page of this story. A story you won't want to miss!

I'm very excited that Cara agreed to answer a few questions for Writer's Journey. So without further ado let's proceed. At the end you will find instructions for signing up for a drawing to receive a signed copy of Deadly Exposure from Cara. So be sure to read to the end!

1. Where did you get the idea of the story?
   My husband and I were driving across the Midwest, brainstorming ideas for a book. I knew I wanted it to be suspense, and I was pretty sure I wanted it to be set in Lincoln, Nebraska. Then I also thought I wanted the heroine to be a television reporter. With that background, I tried to think of unusual places for a reporter to find a body. And the germ of an idea was born.

2. How much as the story changed from the first inception?
   The original germ remained the same. However, the antagonist changed -- in the last 20 pages. I was praying about how to wrap up the story, and God whispered that it should go one direction. As I went back through the book, I realized many of the seeds had already been planted, and the change worked really well. I also had to cut a couple characters as it went from a stand-alone to Love Inspired Suspense size.

3. How much does your legal experience as an attorney help in writing a romantic mystery?
   In this book it didn't necessarily hurt or really help. But if I get to write the next two books in this series, my background as an attorney will be critical, since both involve heroines who are attorneys. And my longer suspense ideas all involve the law in some facet.

4. How much research did you have to do for this story?
   Because I lived in Lincoln while I went to college at UNL and still go through Lincoln a couple times a year, I didn't have to do hardly any setting research. I also worked at a TV station while I was in college, so didn't need much on that either. The research was more on details and the police in Lincoln. For example, detectives are called investigators.

5. You use the play “Cats” as an integral part of this story. Was there a reason you chose that play over another? Did you have to get permission from the producers of “Cats” to use the play?
   I didn't because it's mentioned at the beginning and in a favorable light. I specifically chose the play because I didn't think there was anything that would offend most of my readers in the play. It's also one of my all-time favorites...kind of like Dani LOL

6. Are you planning a sequel to this story?
   Yes. I'm just waiting to hear if Love Inspired Suspense likes it. And if I get to write book two, Tricia Jamison is the main character with Dani and Caleb back as strong supporting characters. And in book three Logan Collins will be back as the hero (can't wait to write his story!), and Dani and Caleb will have another subplot. It's been fun to see which characters resonate with readers. And they have definite opinions about who they want to see more of.

7. Anything else in your writing arsenal unrelated to this story that we can look forward to?
   Book two in my Nebraska World War Two romances released in May as well. And I am getting ready to start book one in the Ohio World War Two series...both with Heartsong Presents.

8. You’ve just welcomed a new baby to your family. How does a busy mom like yourself find time to write novels?
   I don't get much sleep :-) My writing has to occur after the older kids are in bed, so after 9 p.m. And I'm still figuring out the schedule with the new baby, so we're trying to be flexible as I write two books this summer!

Thank you, Cara. You are one busy and talented lady! And thank you for providing a signed book for the winner of my drawing.

If you want to be in on the drawing for Deadly Exposure please leave a comment to this post ALONG WITH YOUR CONTACT INFO SO I CAN CONTACT YOU.

The drawing will take place Wednesday, June 4, 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.

About Leaving November

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 café 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!