Friday, March 4, 2011

MaryLu Tyndall ~ Interview + Giveaway!

*You can earn up to 4 entries in this giveaway. Read below for details*

Today author MaryLu Tyndall is telling us about her new book, Surrender the Night (Surrender to Destiny series #2 -- March 2011). 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 leave a comment on this post to find out the answer!

Welcome, MaryLu! Tell us a little about yourself.
Hi, I’m MaryLu Tyndall, a Christy Award Finalist, and best-selling author of the Legacy of the King’s Pirates series. That’s right. You heard it correctly. I wrote an inspirational series about pirates. Christian pirates, that is. Oddly enough, I believe it was that strange combination of pirates and faith that opened the doors of publishing for me. Since then, which was only about six years ago, I have a total of nine books published with five more under contract. My books are known to be fast-paced, adventurous, and intensely romantic while also interwoven with deep spiritual themes. Though I was raised in Florida and would love nothing more than to live in the tropics again, I have lived in Northern California for almost thirty years with my husband, six kids, and three stray cats.

Tell us about your salvation experience.
It’s a rather long story, but suffice it to say I didn’t come to know God until my mid-thirties after I’d made a mess of my life! Every thing I did, every party, every relationship, every material possession I bought, every success I achieved, ultimately left me alone and empty until at age thirty-five, my second marriage was failing, I hated my dead-end job, my youthful beauty was fading, and my teenage kids were rebelling (wonder who they learned that from?) I remember wanting to kill myself, get it over with. I felt no hope for the future. I was a drinker back then. Alcohol helped numb the pain of life. So, I had a hidden bottle of Tequila in my closet. Whenever life overwhelmed me, I’d sneak in there and have a drink or two. One dark day, while sitting in the closet, I glanced upward and saw my old Bible sitting on a shelf. I dusted it off and began to read, promising myself that I would read it from cover to cover to see if anything happened. What did I have to lose? I wanted to believe so badly that God was real and that He loved me, but I had grown very skeptical.

I read it every night before I went to bed. Somewhere in the middle of Ezekiel, something began to happen. Passages prophesying how Israel would be scattered all over the world and then in the last days would return to their own land, flew out at me from the pages. You see, Israel was in the news a lot back then. Suicide bombings and rumors of war were a common story each night. And I knew enough history to know that Israel had only become a nation a few years before I was born. The stunning revelation that God had predicted them returning to their land sped through me like a cyclone. I remember saying out loud. “You’re real.” And then God’s presence fell upon me. I shivered. I got on my knees and began to sob. I gave my life to Him that night. I knew God was with me now. I knew He loved me and had a plan for my life. Suddenly my life had meaning and my heart was full. This is what I had been searching for!

Are you:
A spontaneous writer or a scheduled writer?
Scheduled, if you mean that I write at a certain time of day. But Spontaneous if you mean that I write without a detailed outline or plot.

Stubborn, or compliant?
Stubborn (But working on being more compliant!)

Organized or completely chaotic?
Organized chaos.

How do you handle disasters/BIG problems?
Weird, but I usually handle disasters very calmly, slowly working to solve the problem. But later on, after things are better, I usually break down with sobs and trembling.

In your opinion, what is your best trait? What is your worst?
Best: Ability to empathize with others
Worst: Worry wort

Tell us something surprising about yourself that readers may not know.
I had 8 step-fathers growing up.

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?
Linda Chaikin or Laurie Alice Eakes. Romance is PG. Kissing but never beyond that.

What are you working on now or going to write next?
I’m currently working on a novel entitled Veil of Pearls. It’s the story of a one-quarter black girl and X-slave who falls in love with the spoiled son of a rich plantation owner in 1811 Charleston, South Carolina.

How can readers get in contact with you?
Website: http://www.mltyndall.com/
Blog: http://crossandcutlass.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=205124586170908&set=a.205124206170946.59683.205121426171224#!/pages/MaryLu-Tyndall-Swashbuckling-Romance/175344859169475

Book blurb:
A timid American farm girl at the mercy of the enemy. . .

A wounded British sailor driven into hiding. . .

Both are about to change the course of history forever.

When British soldiers invade Baltimore amid the War of 1812, Rose McGuire, alone on her family farm, is easy prey for a brutal lieutenant. In the midst of the attack, she’s saved by British 2nd Lieutenant Alexander Reed. Will she now have to heal, as well as hide, this enemy soldier?

Alex hadn’t meant to kill his superior, nor get shot in the process. Now badly wounded, he’s at the mercy of this tomboy who obviously hates him. Can he trust her or will she turn him over to the Americans?

Rose is having trouble keeping Alex hidden from her family, the townspeople, and the man intent on courting her. Will the discovery of Alex’s presence force her to accept an abhorrent proposal?

As their love blooms, trouble looms, for the British are on the move again. This time, their target is Washington DC. Will these young lovers at heart find themselves enemies at war?

Who would you pick to play the lead roles if this book was made into a movie?
 
Actress Romola Garai plays Rose McQuire

Actor Colin Firth plays Alexander Reed

Is there anything you would like to add, or tell your readers?
Thanks for taking the time to read my interview and also for your interest in my writing. I love my readers and like to correspond with them one on one. My ultimate goal is to make God real to people, to show His love and power in their daily lives, and to show that there’s a reason they are here on this earth at this time and place.
~~~~~
**USA or Canada addresses only, please**

Okay readers, here is your chance to win an autographed copy of Surrender the Night!

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 do not want 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 of my recent book reviews.
+2 Hearts Crossing

**You can earn a total of 4 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. (You can put them on one comment if you want to, you don’t have to separate each entry into its own comment or anything like that.)**

*The contest will run from today (March 4) until 6:00 CST on Thursday (March 10). 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 11th, 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.

61 comments:

Sue said...

Fun interview. Thank you for the chance to win MaryLu's book.

herrins1@harneyesd.k12.or.us

rubynreba said...

I'd love to read this book. I enjoyed your interview.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...

I am a follower.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

Lizzy said...

I follow and have your button on my blog http://edna-myfavoritethings.blogspot.com/


mamat2730(at)charter(dot)net

ninjasinger said...

I would love to enter the contest!

My email address is seventhkid@juno.com

Also, I am a follower of your blog.

Vidisha said...

Would love this book!!!

vidishamun@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Enjoyed the interview. Have LOVED ALL your books. Looking forward to reading this series : )
mevpool(at) yahoo(dot) com

Marie Ferland said...

Thank you for sharing so much about yourself in your interview! You are very inspiring. Surrender The Night sounds like my kind of book. Looking forward to reading it even if I don't win, but I hope to!!
Marie

mariefluffy@yahoo.ca

Heather's Blog-o-rama said...

I really enjoy MaryLu Tyndalls books very much...real stories, real world situations and romance and the Gospel :) :) I'd love to be entered into the giveaway.

heather94deutschland@yahoo.com

I also just subscribed to your blog via email :) )

Thanks for hosting the giveaway. Love and hugs from Oregon, Heather :)

Rachel Reeves said...

Loved the interview! I love to hear peoples salvation story. It is amazing to me how everyone has such a different unique story. Love your books and I wold truly love to win a copy of your book! Thanks! e-mail: rmreeves10@yahoo.com

Katie Marie said...

Please enter me Carman! That book cover is B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L!!!! :-D Thanks for the interview + giveaway!

~ Katy
agirlslegacy(at)yahoo(dot)com

Katie Marie said...

I am a follower of this blog!

~ Katy
agirlslegacy(at)yahoo(dot)com

Brenda Hurley said...

Saturday, March 5th,
"Morning, MaryLu".
Well, thank-you so very much, yet again ... at having another chance to win a copy of 'Surrender the Night' ! I would love to enter this contest.
Your interview here is most interesting and intriguing. Still learning 'new things' about you. I love how you open yourself to your fans/readers. It gives us a personal glimpse of you ... a beautiful quality. And truly, I totally agree with your 'best quality' ... that of "the ability to empathize with others" !!!
I did go on to other blog/websites this past week (ones you suggested) ... two or three of them (I just don't remember what their names were). Sorry ....
Thanks again for this opportunity.
Take care, and, God Bless,
In Him, Brenda Hurley
( brennie7@hotmail.com )

Kirsten said...

I enjoyed the interview. Excellent questions and fresh answers. I love to read MaryLu's books and I just subscribed to your blog.

fancynoodle[at]yahoo[dot]ca

PriviesAndPrims said...

8 stepfathers??? That could be a book in itself!

Just reading the excerpt of this book gets me hooked on it! Hoping I win!

I'm a follower and a subscriber.

Doreen
priviesandprims[at]yahoo[dot]com

Jackie S. said...

I always enjoy an interview with MaryLu.....getting to learn more about her. I have read most of her books and love them! I want to be entered for this one! I subscribe via e mail, and I did comment on the blog you suggested.
Thanks!
jackie.smithATdishmailDOTnet

Diana Flowers said...

I really enjoyed reading your testimony and would love a chance to win Surrender the Night! I've read several of your books and enjoy them very much! I'm super excited about Veil of Pearls since we live in SC very close to Charleston. When do you expect to have that one finished? I'll take anything with plantations in the South!

dianalflowers@aol.com

Virginia said...

of course I'm a follower!!!

I want to be entered for the book

I love Mary Lu's salvation experience, thus her life's testimony...maybe "a bottle and a Bible" I have a love for the Jewish and that she found God there is awesome...

Hearts Crossing...I like you honest review and pray it inspires her to continue the journey.

I think that makes +4

vrush729(at)aol(dot)com

Diana Flowers said...

+1-left comment
+1-subscriber to blog via email
+2-left comment on review of
Heart's Crossing


dianalflowers@aol.com

Jo said...

Great interview and the book sounds very interesting. Please enter me!

Blessings,
Jo
ladijo40(at)aol(dot)com

amber said...

I want to be entered!!! I follow your blog also.

afren07[at]gmail[dot]com

EJ said...

What a great interview - I especially liked the story of your salvation experience. Please enter me in to the drawing for the book. I already follow your blog by e-mail & in google reader. E. Jordan

rejordan79@msn.com

Mary / Touch of Heaven said...

would like to be entered in the giveaway.
Mary B.
atouchofheaven2010[at]gmail[dot]com

Mary / Touch of Heaven said...

Iam a follower. Mary B.
atouchofheaven2010@gmail.com

Mary / Touch of Heaven said...

I am an email subscriber. Mary B.
atouchofheaven2010[at]gmail[dot]com

Kath said...

please enter me in your draw!

im also subscribing!
kathleen

kath_wubs[@]hotmail[dot]com

Carla Gade said...

Great interview. I enjoyed reading Mary Lu's salvation testimony.

I'd love to be entered in your contest. Mary Lu is a fabulous author!

carlagade [at] gmail [dot] com

Charity U said...

Oh. My. Word. I know those two actors! Well, I don't know them, but I've seen them in movies and love them!!!! Cool. :) They're close to (or maybe are) my two favorites. Great choices, Marylu! And what a fun name. :)

photographer4ever832[at]gmail[dot]com

Charity U said...

I follow! And yes, the above comment does mean that I want to be entered. Such a great sounding book!

photographer4ever832[at]gmail[dot]com

Charity U said...

I commented on the post you linked to.

photographer4ever832[at]gmail[dot]com

Charity U said...

Entry two for former comment. :)

photographer4ever832[at]gmail[dot]com

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the interview!
I love her books!
- Jessica

jedakiah@frontier.com

Anita Yancey said...

I would like to be entered. Thanks for this chance.

ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

Anita Yancey said...

I follow on GFC! Also subscribe by email.

ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

noseinanovel said...

I have heard good things about MaryLu's books but have yet to read anything by her. Would love to win a copy :)

ksmiley2[at]kent[dot]edu

Jaime Christoph said...

Sounds like an interesting read, historical and christian fiction in one, two of my favorite genres! Thanks for the opportunity.

jaimz411[at]hotmail[dot]com

I also became a follower, and commented on Hearts Crossing, thanks for your simple and to the point reviews!

jdjmcc said...

I love books from this time period! I've never read anything from this author- I'm excited to!
jdjmcc@aol.com

jdjmcc said...

I follow on GFC!
jdjmcc@aol.com

Lady DragonKeeper said...

Wow, what an incredible story, Mrs. Tyndall! Many Christians try reading through the Bible and get stuck in Leviticus or something ... thank goodness (rather, thank God) you kept going. =)

I was wondering ... I went to you're website and was admiring all of the book cover art! What was your involvement (if any) in the book cover process?

Thanks for hosting Carman (and for the chance to win)!

jafuchi7[at]hawaii[dot]edu

Lady DragonKeeper said...

Sorry, I forgot to mention I'm an e-mail subscriber. =)

jafuchi7[at]hawaii[dot]edu

Lady DragonKeeper said...

Commented on your review: http://continuousdelights.blogspot.com/2011/03/hearts-crossing-by-marianne-evans-3.html

bonus entry 1 of 2 = jafuchi7[at]hawaii[dot]edu

Lady DragonKeeper said...

Commented on your review: http://continuousdelights.blogspot.com/2011/03/hearts-crossing-by-marianne-evans-3.html

bonus entry 2 of 2 = jafuchi7[at]hawaii[dot]edu

Leanne said...

I'd love to read it!

leanniegehrke at hotmail dot com

Leanne said...

email subscriber.

leanniegehrke at hotmail dot com

Leanne said...

Commented on book review. #1

leanniegehrke at hotmail dot com

Leanne said...

Commented on book review. #2

leanniegehrke at hotmail dot com

Amy said...

My mom looooves MaryLu Tyndall.

amyholbrook[at]yahoo[dot]com

MaryLu Tyndall said...

Hi everyone! Just dropping by to say thank you for reading my interview and for your kind words and for entering to win my book!!! May the Lord richly bless your week!
Hugs, MaryLu

Sarah said...

I have been waiting for this book to come out! Now it finally has! Yay! I love all of MaryLu Tyndall books and really love to have the chance to win it!! I just subscribed for your blog, and left a comment on another book review. Thanks so much!

sarah45431@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

Enjoyed the interview,book sounds great. Anxious to read your upcoming novel "Veil of Pearl",southern novels are the best.

true_sheila at yahoo dot com

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much for the great interview, and for telling us about yourself and your book MaryLu. I love your books! And this one is another one of your great reads!
Thanks for offering it!
Blessings.....Joy Hannabass
ibjoy1953[at]yahoo[dot]com

Judylynn said...

I am a GFC follower.
seizethebookblog(at)gmail(dot)com

Shonda said...

Sounds like a great book. shondaet at gmail dot com

Michelle said...

So glad I dropped by to read the interview! Your story is amazing, MaryLu; what an amazing testimony!

I have Surrender the Heart at the top of my TBR pile, so I'd love the opportunity to win this second book in the series.

Blessings,
Michelle
scraphappy71 at sbcglobal dot net

Michelle said...

I'm a subscriber. Thank you for the extra entry!

Michelle
scraphappy71 at sbcglobal dot net

Michelle said...

Commented on book review. #1

Michelle
scraphappy71 at sbcglobal dot net

Michelle said...

Commented on book review. #2

Thank you!
Michelle
scraphappy71 at sbcglobal dot net

Eszter said...

Having 8 step-fathers must have been chaotic for you. I know it would have been for me. And I realize that you and I have something in common: We both have had fathers who didn't care a lick about us. My father left when I was just turning 12, but the truth was, was that even before, he was never really around. He was a travel agent, and was always, always out of state or country. Sometimes we wouldn't see him for weeks and weeks. I guess thats why I felt no real emotion when my mom announced that she was divorcing him. I didn't really feel as if I was losing a member of the family-if you know what I mean. I didn't have a lot of pain, but my mom did. she still loved him, but it was a one-sided relationship.It took me a loooong time to forgive the pain he caused her. But now I'm able to not only pray that he will come to Christ, but to forgive him in earnest.
It was a great interview MaryLu. And while I may not win the awesome book, I still enjoyed writing this to you.

Anonymous said...

The book looks great...I can so sympathize with having step-fathers and a chaotic life. I too worry more than I should...

I am a GFC follower.

hnwhitlock2000atgmaildotcom

rbooth43 said...

Sounds like a great Story between the Us and English solders at the peck of our history!
I am from NC.
I am am email subscriber and google follower.
Thanks!
Rebecca
rbooth43 at yahoo dot com

Heather said...

This book looks amazing. I definitely think this is one I'm going to have to get. I am a social studies teacher and love finding books that are historical or hold to themes about patriotism or major events in history. Thanks for the great review!