Donita K Paul ~ Interview + Giveaway!

*You can earn up to 6 entries in this giveaway. Read below for details*

Today author Donita K Paul is telling us about her new book, Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball (October 2010). She has offered an autographed copy of her book to one lucky commenter. She will also be stopping by throughout the week to answer your questions! So if you have anything you want to ask her, you can include it in your comment for entering the contest. If you are only leaving a question in the comment and not entering the giveaway please say so.

Welcome, Donita! Tell us a little about yourself.

I am a frumpy (sometimes grumpy) grandmother who retired early from teaching. I love my role as huggable grandma, but I also enjoy interacting with readers. I am guilty of speaking Christianese and try to forsake “the talk” when I write and present Bible truths that effect the heart but don’t sound like Sunday school (which I started teaching when I was 13).

Tell us about your salvation experience.
In order to familiarize you with my website, I’m going to give you a few URLs to explore. My testimony is at http://donitakpaul.com/author/testimony.html

Are you:
A spontaneous writer or a scheduled writer?
Definitely a spontaneous and I wouldn’t want to be anything else except two weeks before deadline, I would prefer to be an outliner.

Stubborn, or compliant?
I am both. It depends on whether the bridge must be held or not.

Organized or completely chaotic?
Completely, utterly, decidedly, and permanently chaotic. At this point in my life I am not going to waste time trying to reform.

How do you handle disasters/BIG problems? Do you have a funny or interesting story showcasing how you handle them?
Well, this is not a disaster, but is typical of my reaction. We were in charge of the Chili Dinner Fundraiser. Every night for a week, I made this huge batch of chili, cooled it, put it in freezer bags, and put it in the freezer. Two days before the dinner, I would distribute the chili to various crockpots of families who were participating in the fundraiser. We had somewhere to go and I decided we’d be gone too long and the chili was cool enough to bag and freeze. When I was putting in one of the bags, I hit the side of the shelf instead of putting the bag on top. It burst open and did a tame geyser type fountain out of the top of the bag and down my dress and into my shoe and all over the linoleum. I called my teen-aged son to come help, and he found me laughing. I mean, come on, I was standing in front of an open freezer stuffed with bags of chili, with the evidence of disaster in my hands and all over me. And my right shoe was full of chili. He said, “Mom, really! This is not funny.”

Which made me laugh more. I did the same thing when we had a plastic bottle of ketchup burst, spraying the cabinets and ceiling with that delectable tomato sauce.

In your opinion, what is your best trait? What is your worst?
Best- compassion, generosity
Worst- impatience, can’t keep a budget

Tell us something surprising about yourself that readers may not know.
I’m part Indian, Cherokee to be exact. But by the time you get down to me, there is only a smidgeon left. My daughter shows the Indian features in her cheekbone structure.

If you compared your writing style to any other Christian Fiction author, who would it be? Also, how would you rate the romance in your books?
I really don’t think I write like anybody else. In this book, totally G

What are you working on now or going to write next?
Am finishing (I hope) Dragons of the Watch, which is the third and final book in the Chiril Chronicles. Next? Holiday. And what I write during this vacation period will probably be another Christmas novella. More matchmaking wizards and their annual ball.

How can readers get in contact with you?
http://www.donitakpaul.com/

http://www.dragonandturtle.com/

On the Donita K. Paul website under Mrs. Paul, there are several blogspots I run. And I do facebook and shoutlife

Book blurb:

Can mysterious matchmaking booksellers bring two lonely hearts together in time for Christmas?

In a sleepy, snow-covered city, Cora Crowder is busy preparing for the holiday season. Searching for a perfect gift, a fortuitous trip to Warner, Werner, and Wizbotterdad’s (a most unusual bookshop) leads to an unexpected encounter with co-worker Simon Derrick. And the surprise discovery of a ticket for a truly one-of-a-kind Christmas Ball.

Every year, the matchmaking booksellers of the Sage Street bookshop host an enchanting, old-fashioned Christmas Ball for the romantic matches they’ve decided to bring together.

This year, will Simon and Cora discover a perfect chemistry in their opposite personalities and shared faith? Or will the matchmakers’ best laid plans end up ruining everything this holiday?

Is there anything you would like to add, or tell your readers?
I’m really thrilled with this story. It was fun to write, and many people have said when they read it that it had the feel of a Hallmark made-for-TV movie. That’s good because that is what I was aiming for, a warm, cozy, fun read.

~~~~~

*USA residents only, please*

Okay readers, here is your chance to win an autographed copy of Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball!

TO ENTER:

*Leave a comment with your name and email address (so I can contact you if you win). The comment is mandatory. You will not be entered unless you leave a comment AND your email address.

*If you leave a comment you will be entered unless you specify that you would not like to be entered.

*Here are the ways to get entries:

(First entry) The mandatory comment saying you would like to be entered with your email address.

+1 Become one of my followers OR subscribe to my blog by email.

Read and leave a comment on one or more of my recent book reviews.
+2 Latte Daze
+2 Driftwood Lane

**You can earn a total of 6 entries if you do all of the above entry options. Make sure to tell me in your entry comment on this post which of the things you did to get extra entries.**

*The contest will run from today (August 27) until 6:00 CST on Thursday (September 2). I will announce the winner that night. The winner is always randomly drawn. I will contact the winner either directly after choosing him/her or on Friday the 3rd, and then that person will have one week to reply. If the winner doesn't reply within that time period, I will pick a new winner.

Good luck! Thanks for visiting.