Susan Page Davis ~ Interview + Giveaway!

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

Today author Susan Page Davis is telling us about her new book, Love Finds You in Prince Edward Island, Canada (April 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!

Author bio:

Susan Page Davis is the author of more than 30 novels in the historical romance, mystery, romantic suspense, and romance genres. Her latest electronic book, Mailbox Mayhem, includes a story originally published in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine and a companion story. A Maine native, Susan lives in western Kentucky with her editor husband Jim and the two youngest of their six children. Visit Susan at her Website: http://www.susanpagedavis.com/

Welcome, Susan! Tell us about your salvation experience.
I was saved as a child after attending Vacation Bible School. My parents were young Christians, and I grew up in church. At VBS I understood that I needed to receive Christ personally.

How do you handle disasters/BIG problems? Do you have a funny or interesting story showcasing how you handle them?
Not very well. I prefer to be prepared, but sometimes life knocks you silly. I usually cry, pray, and get some advice from people wiser than I am.

Tell us something surprising about yourself that readers may not know.
I once tied a murderer’s necktie. I was reporting on the trial for a newspaper and after the lunch break I went back into the courtroom early. No one else was back yet except the defendant and his guard. The guard was trying to help the man tie his tie, but was having trouble doing it “backward.” He asked if I could tie one on another person, so I did it. Later that day, the defendant was convicted of murder.

What is one book that you recently read and would recommend to your readers?
I just read Raider’s Heart, by Marcia Gruver, in her new Backwoods Brides series. I enjoyed it a lot. Now I’m starting to read The Amish Midwife by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould. I know I’m going to love this one, too.

What is your favorite time of day to write?
Morning. I droop late in the day. Definitely a morning person.

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?
My romance is mostly G-rated. In my new book, Love Finds You in Prince Edward Island, it’s definitely a “proper” romance. I am not sure whose stories mine would compare with—possibly DiAnn Mills.

What are you working on now or going to write next?
I just finished writing Captive Trail, a historical set in 1857 Texas. It’s part of the new Texas Trails series from Moody. The series will open in August, with Darlene Franklin’s book, Lone Star Trail, then my Captive Trail, and then Vickie McDonough’s The Long Trail Home in October. In spring 2012, three more books will release: Darlene’s A Ranger’s Trail; my Cowgirl Trail; and Vickie’s End of the Trail. We’re very excited about this new series, following the Morgan family through six decades of Texas history.

Book’s back cover blurb:

Prince Edward Island pulls out all the stops to prepare for the visit of Prince Albert Edward (Queen Victoria’s son, later King Edward VII) in 1860. Molly Orland, a farmer’s daughter, is hired as a housemaid at the governor’s mansion, where the prince and his entourage will stay. Peter Stark is sent ahead of the royal party to ensure the arrangements are in order. Though Peter and Molly are attracted to each other, there seems to be no future for them, since Peter must soon leave with his master, the Earl of Washburn, and Molly will lose her job if discovered to be engaging in a flirtation with one of the visitors. However, Molly’s family harbors a secret that connects her family to Washburn’s. Can she and Peter overcome the past and set right a 60-year-old wrong?

What research did you have to do for this book?
I visited Prince Edward Island and went to many of its historical sites (and Green Gables, of course). I spent some time researching at the archives in Charlottetown and also visited Province House (known as the Colonial Building in the time of my story), where a ball was held for the prince in 1860. I also visited museums and saw the governor’s mansion, as well as enjoying the natural beauty of the island. When I got home I used many books and the Internet to continue my research.

How can readers get in contact with you?
My Website is at: www.susanpagedavis.com and I’d love to see you there!

Is there anything you would like to add, or tell your readers?
I am giving away a copy of Love Finds You in Prince Edward Island here, and I also give away several books each month on my Website (winners choose the book they want).

~~~~~

**USA or Canada addresses only, please**

Okay readers, here is your chance to win an autographed copy of Love Finds You in Prince Edward Island, Canada!

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.

+2 Read and leave a comment on my review of A Stranger's Wish

**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 (April 1) until 6:00 CST on Thursday (April 7). 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 8th, 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.

End-of-the-Year Celebration DAY 3!

The winner of Day 2's giveaway (Meander Scar, The Seeker, A Love of Her Own) is:

Virginia!! (vrush729@...)

Congratulations!

Lets get started with today's festivities! Today, I'm featuring authors Vickie McDonough, and Susan Page Davis!!

What is one thing or area where God has been changing you in 2010? Do you have any scriptures to go along with/support that?

Vickie: He’s been teaching me to lean on him more and to not do things on my own. Do you have any scriptures to go along with/support that? Proverbs 3:5 & 6: Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Susan: This has been a year of changes and new perspectives. Many times I’ve asked God to show me what is important in His eyes. Micah 6:8 tells us, “He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Tell one thing that God did for you this year just to show He loved you.

Vickie: I don’t know that I could pinpoint one single thing, because He did many things.

Susan: We have adopted two animals this year (a cat and a horse), and both have brought joy to our family.

What is your favorite memory from 2010?


Vickie: My husband and I, our four boys, my dil, and our granddaughter went together and rented a cabin on Table Rock Lake for two days. One day we all went to Silver Dollar City. It’s the first time since our oldest son married and our boys were grown that we’d all gotten away together. It was a very special time, especially since our #3 son was leaving. He is now deployed to Egypt for a year.


Susan: Entering our new home together.


Do you have any New Year resolutions in mind?

Vickie: Yes, I have a number of books to write this year, and my goal is to get each one done and turned in on time.


Susan: Not really. Every year I just want to do my best as God allows me to. I don’t make formal resolutions, but I always have goals.


What is one goal you have set (or God has put on your heart) for 2011 apart from New Year resolutions?


Vickie: To do a better job in having a daily devotional and time in prayer. I’m the kind of person who jumps out of bed and gets right to work, so I have a habit of thinking I’ll do my devotions later in the day, but work tends to keep me busy, and I forget. I want to do better in that area.

Susan: To see my two youngest children safely through some important milestones in their lives.

~~~~~

Giveaway! These authors, along with authors Judith Miller and Lisa Wingate, have generously offered these 4 books to one lucky winner!

Wild West Christmas, by Vickie McDonough

Somewhere to Belong, by Judith Miller

The Blacksmith's Bravery, autographed, by Susan Page Davis

Larkspur Cove, autographed, by Lisa Wingate

Rules:

For this party, only people with USA mailing addresses can enter. You must leave your email address in order to be entered so that I can contact you if you win.

Mandatory first entry: You must be a Google Friend Connect follower (in sidebar) of this blog, OR be an email subscriber (in sidebar) to this blog to enter this giveaway. Let me know in your comment to enter (with your email address) which you are.

Extra Entries:

+1 Post the link for this giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter. (If you do both, that is +2)

+1 GFC follow or email subscribe to my other blog, Christian Book Giveaways.

+1 Put the buttons for one or both of my blogs on your blog. (You can get the HTML in my sidebar.) If you put both buttons up, that is +2.


+1 For every friend you get to come, enter this giveaway, and say that you sent them. (Make sure they use a name that I can connect with you. I want to make sure the extra points go to the right person!


+2 Post about this giveaway on your blog, telling which books will be given away.

+3 Leave a comment for at least one of the authors in this giveaway encouraging them with something you like about them personally, their writing, or one of their books.

I have one special way to gain extra entries, so pay close attention… For every day that the banner for this End-of-the-Year Celebration at the TOP of your blog (starting the 22nd) it will count as +1 entry towards the final blowout giveaway on the 30th and 31st. That means you can earn up to 10 more entries in the final giveaway!!! You can grab the banner’s HTML HERE.

This giveaway ends tomorrow (Monday, December 27) at 6 p.m. CST. I will try to promptly contact the winner after that time. Winners will be announced in the next morning’s post.

Susan Page Davis ~ Interview + Giveaway!

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

Today author Susan Page Davis is telling us about her new book, The Crimson Cipher. 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, Susan! Tell us a little about yourself.

I recently moved from my home state of Maine to Kentucky with my husband Jim and our two teenagers. So far we love it here. We have four older children as well, and six grandchildren. I’ve written about 30 published novels, and I love connecting with my readers.

Tell us about your salvation experience.
I was saved when I was eight years old. I’m thankful to have been walking with the Lord for many years.

Are you:

A spontaneous writer or a scheduled writer?
Nowadays I’m fairly scheduled.

Stubborn, or compliant?
Depends on who’s asking. Ha, ha.

Organized or completely chaotic?
A little of both. I’m fairly well organized but sometimes it gets away from me.

How do you handle disasters/BIG problems?
Mostly with prayer and support from my family.

In your opinion, what is your best trait? What is your worst?
My best trait is consistency, which may also be my worst. I could probably do well to give people a few more surprises.

Tell us something surprising about yourself that readers may not know.
I had a major stroke (embolism) in January, 1997. For two days I couldn’t read or write. The Lord blessed me with a full recovery.

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?
Maybe DiAnn Mills? We both write historical and contemporary, and we both like suspense. My romances are usually G.

What are you working on now or going to write next?
I’m finishing up Love Finds You in Prince Edward Island, which Summerside Press will bring out early in 2011. It’s set in 1860, when the Prince of Wales visited PEI.

How can readers get in contact with you?
My Web site is at www.susanpagedavis.com, and my Facebook page is at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Susan-Page-Davis/139580589399172?v=wall

Book blurb:

Saboteurs are doing their best to keep America out of the Great War. When Emma’s father is murdered, she’s hired to do the job he could have had--helping track them down by breaking their ciphers.

It’s 1915, and saboteurs are doing their best to keep America out of the Great War by bombing ships and factories and fomenting unrest among workers. Can Emma discover their plans and unmask their leader? Adventure and romance beckon as she joins a band of cryptographers trying to stop their enemies within the United States.

Here is an excerpt from the book. Enjoy!
     Emma Shuster hurried across campus against the cold wind coming off Casco Bay. Six inches of powdery snow draped the college’s brick buildings in glittery icing, and Emma’s heart sang.
     A man in a blue wool coat with epaulets on the shoulders and a peaked hat of the same hue approached the Searles Science Building from the opposite direction. Navy, Emma concluded—a fine-looking officer. She looked away before he could catch her eye.
     He reached the door of the brick building just as she did. “Hello.” He smiled brightly and opened the door for her.
     “Thank you.” As she entered, she tucked the large envelope she carried under her arm, pulled off her knit gloves, and headed for the stairs.
     “Excuse me,” the man said.
     She paused and turned toward him. “Yes?”
     He unbuttoned his overcoat, revealing a uniform beneath. “I wonder if you could direct me to Professor Shuster’s office.”
     Emma relaxed and smiled. “I’m just on my way up to see him, sir. If you’d like to follow me, I’ll take you there.” Her father was a Navy veteran. She wondered what the young man wanted with him.
     He walked beside her to the third floor landing. The handsome stranger towered nearly a foot over her.
     She supposed she should break the silence if she didn’t wish to be thought rude. “Several of the mathematics and science professors have their offices up here.”
     “Indeed. I expect the climb keeps them fit.” The young man smiled. “I’m John Patterson.”
     “And you’re with the Navy, Mr. Patterson?”
     “Yes. Lieutenant, actually.”
     They’d reached the door of her father’s office. Emma gave a quick knock and turned the knob.
     “Father, I’ve brought someone to—” She broke off with a gasp. Her father’s slender form lay sprawled on the floor. Blood seeped onto the varnished oak boards and the papers strewn near him. “Father!”
     She dropped her envelope and knelt beside him. Bending close, she touched his arm. The awful stillness of his body sent chills through her. A dry, fierce ache filled her throat. Pushing his shoulder slightly, she tried to speak again, but a sob wrenched her chest.
     Patterson knelt on the other side and put a hand to the fallen man’s throat. After a moment, he reached across and gently touched Emma’s sleeve. “I’m sorry, ma’am.”
     “No, no! We need to call a doctor.”
     “I’m afraid there’s nothing a doctor could do for him.”
     She wept then¬¬—great, hot tears splashing down her cheeks.
     “Miss Shuster. Come and sit down.”
     Emma raised her hand to her mouth, staring at the blood. She struggled to stand, but her knees buckled, and she grabbed the lieutenant’s outstretched arm.
     He caught her as she wilted. “There, now. Let me help you.”
     He turned a wooden chair to face the door, holding her upright with his steel-like right arm.
     “Sit down, miss.”
     Emma sank onto the chair and held her hands over her face.
     “Can I get you anything?”
     “No,” she managed. “Thank you. Just...please, see to Father. Make certain...”
     He left her side, and she shivered. She wanted to look over her shoulder and see what Patterson did—to assure herself that she’d been mistaken and only imagined the ghastly scene.
     She didn’t move.
     The lieutenant came back, his jaw tense. “I’m sorry, Miss Shuster. I’m afraid it’s too late.”

~~~~~

**USA and Canada residents only, please**

Okay readers, here is your chance to win an autographed copy of The Crimson Cipher!

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 Love Finds You in Homestead, Iowa
+2 Angel Song

**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 13) until 6:00 CST on Thursday (August 19). 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 20th, 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.

Susan Page Davis ~ Interview + Giveaway!

Today author Susan Page Davis is telling us about her new book, Fire and Ice. She has offered two autographed copies of her book to two lucky commenters. 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, Susan! Tell us a little about yourself.

I grew up in Maine, in a very small town. Our house had no running water until I was about eight years old. My dad was the local game warden. I had a wonderful childhood with four older siblings. My husband Jim and I have six children and also six grandchildren. Our children are all home-schooled (two are still at home). The older four are college graduates and far-flung. Jim is retired from news editing and is now a freelance editor for fiction and nonfiction projects. I personally enjoy history, animals, needlework, and reading. A current passion is cryptography, sparked by research for an upcoming book.

How long have you been writing? How many books do you have published?
I started seriously writing fiction in 1999. I have 25 published novels. More than half are historical romance. Seven are romantic suspense. The others include cozy mysteries, contemporary romance, and young adult.

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?
My romance is definitely G-rated. Most of my books include mystery or suspense elements, even if they are classified as straight romance, and Fire & Ice is one of those. My suspense books (such as Inside Story and Hearts in the Crosshairs) have been compared to Dee Henderson’s.

In your own words tell us a little about Fire and Ice.
Fire & Ice is my second contemporary romance set in Alaska. Robyn Holland raises and trains sled dogs at the family kennel in Wasilla. She lives with her mother and grandfather. Grandpa’s antics land him in the hospital, and Robyn and her mom wonder if they are going to make it financially. They need to sell some dogs—but Mom suggests they might need to sell the whole business. When Robyn is out dog sledding with veterinarian-next-door Rick Baker, six dogs are stolen from the kennel. Robyn and Rick set off on a quest to find the dogs, and find romance along the way.

Blurb-

Robyn Holland loves her work raising and training sled dogs for her family’s business, Holland Kennel, in rugged Alaska. But when her grandfather has an accident, the resulting hospital bills put a strain on the family’s finances. Will she be forced to follow her mother’s suggestion and sell the business? It would break her heart, but it’s beginning to seem like her only option.

Robyn turns to Rick Baker, a neighbor and veterinarian, for help as the Fire & Ice dog sled approaches. Then some of her most valuable dogs are stolen. As they race against time to find the dogs, a spark ignites. Will they allow God’s light to illuminate the right tracks to follow for the victory He has for them?

What made you want to write this story?
I visited Wasilla in September, 2008, and went to the headquarters of the Iditarod Trail Race. I had already committed to write a story about a young woman serving in the U.S. Coast Guard in Alaska, and I decided to make the second book about her sister-in-law, who raised sled dogs. These animals are so beautiful and courageous, I wanted to showcase them.

What research did you have to do for this book?
It was a great privilege to go to Alaska and visit Anchorage, Homer, Wasilla, and other locations. While there I talked to a lot of people. Before the trip I subscribed to Alaska Magazine and did some preliminary research. While writing the series, I’ve also called upon friends living in Alaska to answer questions about everyday life and speech patterns there. I did a ton of online research after I got home and bought a truckload of books (or so it seemed) on related topics—Coast Guard, dog sledding, polar bears, and much more.

What are you working on now or going to write next?
I’m working on a historical romance, Book 3 in my Ladies’ Shooting Club series. These books are set in Idaho in the 1880s, and the first one just released in December (The Sheriff’s Surrender). They feature a group of women in a tiny mining town gone bust. They learn to shoot in order to protect themselves, and they wind up helping the sheriff solve murders and defending the town. It’s a fun series with mystery and romance in each book.

How can readers get in contact with you?
Come see me at my Web site: www.susanpagedavis.com

What are you currently reading?
I’m so deep into Idaho history and cryptography that I’m not currently reading a novel, which is incredible. But my research has me in books right now with titles like “Sagebrush Post Offices” and “Manual for the Solution of Military Ciphers.” (That last one is for an upcoming book called The Crimson Cipher, coming your way next summer from Summerside Press).

Tell us something surprising about yourself that readers may not know.
I had a stroke in 1997. This was a major blot clot on my left temple. Through God’s mercy, I survived with no residual effects.

If you could be any animal, which would you choose? Why?
Definitely a horse. Always envied them. So strong and beautiful and graceful!

FAVORITES:
TV show, and/or movie?
TV shows—I really love The Amazing Race, but drama favorites right now would be NCIS and Castle.

Place to go on vacation?
Anyplace warmer than Maine.

Book this year or month? Why?
I liked Harry Krauss’s Perfect. It had a “different,” ending, but I’ll forgive him. I was sure at first that I wouldn’t like the main character, but she got to me.


What is/was this book’s release date?
Fire & Ice is a January 2010 book through the Heartsong Presents book club. It can be ordered from http://www.heartsongpresents.com/

~~~~~

**This giveaway is open to any country, however, there will only be one book sent to another country**

Okay readers, here is your chance to win one of two autographed copies of Fire and Ice!

To enter:
*Leave a comment with your name and email address (so I can contact you if you win).

*Please specify that you want to be included in the contest!

*If you want an extra entry, become one of my followers.

*The comment is mandatory. (Please, say in the comment if you are a follower!! It makes my job easier when you do.) You will not be entered unless you leave a comment. If you are already a follower, and then you leave a comment, you will still get two entries in the contest.

*The contest will run from today (Jan. 22) until 10:30 CST on Thursday (Jan. 28). I will announce the winner that night. The winner is always randomly drawn. I will contact the winner on Friday the 29th, 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.

The Sheriff’s Surrender by Susan Page Davis ~ 4/5 stars

The Sheriff's Surrender

Susan Page Davis

Ladies Shooting Club #1

Barbour Publishing

About the book:

Gert Dooley can shoot the tail feathers off a jay at a hundred yards from years of test-firing the guns her brother repairs. But long after giving up on marriage, she longs for rancher Ethan Chapman to see she’s more than a crack shot. When murder strikes the sleepy town, Gert forms the Ladies’ Shooting Club to teach the women how to protect themselves, their families, and their businesses.

Ethan didn’t ask to be named sheriff, but he accepts the position and takes on the investigation into the mysterious death of his predecessor. Now he’s pressured by the town’s women to restore order and safety to Fergus, and by the men who insist Ethan disband the upstart Ladies’ Shooting Club.

Another person is murdered, and Ethan turns to Gert and her ladies to help in the investigation. But will they find the murderer before he strikes again?

My review:
I really enjoyed this book. I do wish that the book had spent more time helping us get to know Gert better. It seemed like lots of time was spent with the mystery and with Ethan, and less with Gert. My heart went out to poor Milzie! I felt so bad for her and kept hoping that someone would befriend her. The mystery part of this book, I really liked. I was on the edge of my seat at the end of the book when the murderer was found out. I was very pleased with the way the book ended, and if you enjoy a sweet romance with a mystery thrown in, then I believe you will also.