With my third novel, Prince of Malorn, ready to publish by the middle of May, I’m conducting a series of “interviews” with my characters. This one is the seventh. Enjoy!

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I meet Sergeant Sanjik on a hillside just out of sight of the Mountain Folk army camp, and we sit down on a pair of boulders to talk. Snow robes the nearby mountain peaks, and although none has fallen at this elevation, the winter breeze makes us shiver.

“I’m sorry we have to meet here,” Sanjik apologizes, wrapping his coat more tightly around himself, “but for security reasons no visitors are allowed in the camp.”

I assure him I understand and pull out my list of questions.

How would you most like to spend a day off?

“With my family. I have a wife and two young children, whom I haven’t seen since I came up here last month. I miss them, but it will most likely be weeks until I see them again – months, even, perhaps. Of course, depending on how things turn out, I might very well not return alive; and if we don’t defeat Rampus, my life won’t be worth much even if I survive the battle. That worries me for my family’s sake more than my own. I would hate to see my son and my little daughter grow up without their father, but unfortunately that’s the way it sometimes happens in war.”

What motivates you?

“The prince’s safety. I had a lot of respect for his father, the late King Kerman, and I’ve always wondered if I could somehow have prevented his death. It’s worried me to see the way Regent Rampus has been gaining power, and I’m certain Prince Korram is next on his list of people to eliminate. As a palace guard, it would be my responsibility to protect him in any case. But now that he’s given me the charge of training his personal troops, I have the even greater responsibility of helping him gain victory over the regent.”

Do you have any siblings? How did you get along with them when you were growing up?

“I have a brother and two sisters. We got along all right, though I was so much younger than any of them that we never really played together. My brother Ebbrem is fourteen years my elder. He was always at the top of his class at school and better than anyone else at everything he did – or at least that’s the way it appeared to me as a child. I looked up to him, but at the same time, I resented the fact that everyone expected me to look up to him, to try to model my life after his. And so I purposely did things my own way and chose not to follow in his footsteps. We both liked sword fighting, for example, but rather than use his old weapon, I saved up to buy my own and had it made in a slightly different style. I arranged to take lessons from a family friend instead of letting him teach me. I was interested in being a soldier, but after he joined the military, I made up my mind that I never would. So I ended up on the palace guard instead, and I’ve been quite content there for over a decade. Look at me now, though.” Sanjik chuckles. “Here I am in a position I never dreamed of: in command of Prince Korram’s private army. My title hasn’t officially changed, but in a way, I’m serving as a general. Ebbrem doesn’t know about any of this yet, but I can imagine his surprise if he were to find out that for all practical purposes, I outrank him.”

What is your greatest fear?

Sanjik turns sober again. “I’d never actually trained anyone until the prince gave me this mission – not from scratch, anyway. I mean, I helped lead training exercises for the new guard recruits, but that’s not the same. They come in knowing how to fight already, and many of them have been in the military. Anyway, it’s the captain’s job to really get them in shape and make sure they know the ropes. Here, I’m the ranking officer, and everything about the soldiers’ training is my responsibility. I keep thinking how much better Ebbrem would be at this and trying to remember what I’ve heard from him about training soldiers. I’m doing my best, but I’m constantly worried that it won’t be good enough. If and when these men and women meet up with Rampus’s troops, then we’ll see whether my training has been sufficient. I try not to let the soldiers see, but I’m worried that it will all have been for nothing and we’ll just be slaughtered.” He sighs, staring up the slope toward where I know his soldiers are camped. “And I worry that we’ll have to fight against my brother. He’s loyal to Prince Korram and won’t knowingly turn against him, but if I know the regent, he’ll make sure none of the soldiers realize who they’re really fighting against until it’s too late.”

What do you imagine your brother would think of the job you’ve done training Prince Korram’s army?

Sanjik grins. “I’d like to think he’d be proud of me, but probably his first reaction would be to laugh. I haven’t exactly followed any normal training procedures, because the Mountain Folk are so different than Lowlanders. Besides, we don’t have the same resources up here. There are no uniforms, for example, and I don’t suppose anyone could get the Mountain Folk to wear them even if there were. I don’t have a trumpet or a trumpeter to play it, so I use a homemade whistle and a series of codes that I made up. And we don’t have swords, so we’re using their traditional weapons, spears. I first had to get them to teach me to use one myself, and then I had to think up specific combat techniques and names for them. It wasn’t easy to teach these things to a peaceful culture that uses their weapons mainly as tools to fish or herd goats. Most of them had never fought against another person before, or only with their fists, if anything. The whole idea of being soldiers was foreign to them – I mean, they had no concept of marching and no clue what it meant to stay in formation or stand at attention. At first they resented being required to do things so contrary to their culture, especially by an outsider. But they’ve accepted me now and are a lot better at following orders. Still, I daresay this is the most unusual army Malorn has ever seen.”

What annoys you the most?

“Being compared to my brother. I’ve chosen my own path in life, and though some would say he’s more successful than I, I wouldn’t trade our positions if I had the choice. No, I don’t wish I were in the army. No, I don’t regret not having been promoted as quickly or frequently as he has been. No, I don’t wish I had as many medals as he’s earned. No, I’m not jealous of the fact that he’s a captain and I’m only a sergeant. Things work differently in the palace, and I’m content with the life I have.”

What’s your secret to getting along with the Mountain Folk when so many people look down on them and claim that they’re vicious, uncivilized brutes?

“Those who claim that have certainly never known any personally. For one thing, they’re definitely not vicious. They’d be a lot easier to train into soldiers if they were! And they may be uncivilized, at least by our standards, but they aren’t brutes by any means. Now that I’ve gotten to know them, I can tell you that they have just as much intelligence, creativity, compassion, and just as good a sense of humor as the average Lowlander. And when it comes to loyalty and determination, I think most of them are ahead of us. The thing is, not many Malornians really know much about them, because the Mountain Folk seldom leave the Impassables. So all we hear in the city are stories from farmers in the foothills, and we’re only getting one side of those stories. It’s true that the Mountain Folk steal crops, for example, but they don’t think of it as stealing, just picking what they find available. And I’ve heard stories from them about farmers stealing their goats and horses, cheating them in trade, injuring and even sometimes killing them. So of course the Mountain Folk resent our people and are less than friendly toward us! The problem doesn’t lie with the Mountain Folk themselves as much as it does in the misunderstandings between our culture and theirs. Prince Korram realizes that, and he is determined to change things on both sides once he takes the throne. Assuming his army and I can help keep him alive long enough to do it, of course.”

Click here to find out about Prince of Malorn, the third book in the Annals of Alasia, and read more interviews with the characters in it.

Click here to read my interviews with characters from my book In the Enemy’s Service.

We are giving away 2 Kindles!! The first one is available via the rafflecopter below. The 2nd is available only to bloggers who post about this giveaway. You can find info on how to enter in the rafflecopter.

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It’s my pleasure to welcome guest author Valerie Howard to my blog today. She’ll be sharing about her fantasy novel Avalon. Be sure to check it out and visit her online through the links at the bottom!

Book Blurb:

Avalon is an allegorical novella, written to emphasize and magnify the story of salvation. It is my story of God’s forgiveness of my sins, as it is every Christian’s story of how Christ saved them and will someday bring them home.

The main character is a young woman named Mara — she is a rebel prisoner sentenced to slave labor until the day of her execution arrives. When Prince Justinius arrives at the slave yard one morning, Mara is convinced her life is about to come to an abrupt end. But the Prince has different plans. Will Mara side with her enemies to save her life? Or will she cling to her rebel cause and risk losing everything?

Author Bio:

Valerie Howard is a pastor’s wife and a stay-at-home-mom from Maine who writes novels in her “spare time”. (When her son decides to nap.) She graduated from Piedmont Baptist College with a degree in Missions, and is joining her husband in a church planting ministry in New England in the near future. She is the author of 15 books and plays for ages 4 and up. Valerie enjoys wearing flip-flops and eating chocolate, preferably at the same time.

Links:

Website: www.ValerieHowardBooks.com
Blog: www.PenHelp.wordpress.com
Facebook Fan Page: www.Facebook.com/ValerieHowardBooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PenHelp
Link to buy on Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00GAMSVIK

Friendship – Four Week Mini Bible Study By Ashley Ferris

About the Book:

Let’s explore the gift of friendship- what a devoted friendship looks like, how to handle the waiting period, and how to deepen current, valued friendships. If you are in a season where you find yourself light on friends, I want this study to be an encouragement that this season will have an expiration date. If you are in a place where you feel you have many friends, I hope you can use this study to evaluate the depth and purpose of those friendships. It may spur you to take risks to deepen some already beautiful friendships. It may also help you see that there are some unhealthy ties that may need to be prayed over and potentially ended. Finally, if you have friendships that are deep, but you tend to pull away when you are confronted, I hope you will see the value that lies before you. I pray that you will endure uncomfortable conversations with deep friends (that you know have your best interests at heart) in order to grow in friendship and as a daughter of the King.

Connect with author Ashley Ferris here:Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Giveaway!

We are so excited to celebrate this Kindle new release with you by hosting a giveaway! Just enter for your chance to win a Kindle copy of Friendship – Four Week Mini Bible Study and a $50 Amazon gift card! a Rafflecopter giveaway Disclosure: Some affiliate links have been used within this post! This giveaway is sponsored by the Becoming Press Book Launch Bloggers.

Today I’m excited to host guest blogger Shanna Hatfield, author of the Pendleton Petticoats series. Here she talks about the city in which her stories are set and what it’s like to write historical fiction.

Pendleton Petticoats

Historic Romance Series

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by Shanna Hatfield

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History is Full of Surprises

Writing historical fiction is such fun for me because I learn so much about the places, people, and experiences of the past. More often than not, I’m astounded by how innovative and creative people were “way back when.”

When the idea for a new historical western romance series began bubbling in my head, I decided it should take place in the town of Pendleton, Oregon, at the beginning of the 20th century.

Many people know Pendleton as the home of the world-famous Pendleton Round-Up and the Pendleton Woolen Mills. It billed itself as the “queen of a golden empire – golden wheat.” Around this time, Umatilla County produced one percent of the nation’s wheat crop.

As I began digging into the town’s past, I discovered, much to my surprise, Pendleton was a happening place to be in the early 1900s.

Modern and progressive for its time, Pendleton was a unique blend of Wild West and culture. They had plenty of crime and wild rowdies, as one would expect in a western town. Pendleton also boasted an opera house and theater, a teashop, a French restaurant, and a wide variety of businesses in the early years of the new century.

On any given day during that time, someone walking down the street could see well dressed ladies and gentlemen, as well as Chinese immigrants, Indians from the nearby reservation, miners, businessmen, ranchers, and farmers.

Mystery and intrigue surrounded the tunnels of the city’s Underground. What began as a way for respectable businesses to easily deliver their goods from the depot, soon turned into a booming mini-city of saloons, card rooms, working girls, Chinese laundries and more. According to local tales, the working girls used the tunnels to enter respectable businesses and do their shopping without being seen around town. Reportedly, a tunnel even ran to the doctor’s office for them to pay their visits undetected.

While the town didn’t lack for colorful characters, those portrayed in my Pendleton Petticoats series are purely fictional.

The women in Pendleton Petticoats come from all walks of life but find commonality in drawing strength from their courage and persevering in chasing their dreams. One woman longs to better her future, one to escape her past, and one just wants to find a place to call home. Aundy, Caterina and Ilsa challenge the roles typically assigned to women of this era.

If you enjoy historical fiction, clean romances, or a good western, consider reading Aundy and its sequels, Caterina and the newly released Ilsa.

Thank you for hosting me today. I’m so grateful for this wonderful opportunity to connect with your readers. I love to hear from readers, so feel free to drop me a note via any of my social media links. Email Shanna at [email protected]

Author Bio: Shanna Hatfield is a hopeless romantic with a bit of sarcasm thrown in for good measure. In addition to blogging, eating too much chocolate, and being smitten with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller, she is a best-selling author of clean romantic fiction written with a healthy dose of humor. She is a member of Western Writers of America, Women Writing the West, and Romance Writers of America. Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”

Excerpt from Aundy: “You are one of the most stubborn, hard-headed women I’ve ever met, Aundy Erickson,” Garrett said, running a hand through his hair, sending the dark locks into a state of complete disarray. His movements made Aundy want to run her fingers through it as well. “Your ability to be self-sufficient would never come into question. If you need help, ask for it. We’re more than happy to give it. You’ve been through so much since you’ve arrived here and handled it all in stride. Growing up in the city, without any rural background, you’re going to need some help. Never hesitate to ask.”

“I know, but I’ve imposed on all of you too much as it is.” Aundy felt tears prick the backs of her eyes. She would not cry. Giving in to her emotions, as jumbled as they were, wouldn’t help prove she could care for herself and Erik’s farm. Her farm.

“You’ve never imposed on us. Ever.” Aundy was so obstinate. He couldn’t recall ever meeting such a stubborn, headstrong woman. She made him want to… Thinking about what he really wanted to do, he refocused his attention on why she went to the Underground. “Regardless of all that, what information were you hoping to find?”

“I wanted to buy something and no one would talk to me about it. Dressed as a man, I didn’t have a bit of trouble making the deal.”

“What did you buy?” Garrett tried to think of anything Aundy would have purchased in the Underground that could possibly be beneficial to the farm.

“I don’t think you’re going to like my answer.” Aundy didn’t want to tell Garrett about her sheep. He’d been quite vocal when she and J.B. were discussing the pros and cons of raising sheep the other day, about how much he disliked the “stinky little boogers,” as he referred to them.

“What did you do?” Garrett asked, pinning her with his silver gaze.

“I made arrangements with a man to buy something he wanted, quite desperately, to sell.”

Garrett’s patience was nearly exhausted. “Which was?”

She hesitated, taking a deep breath before answering. “Sheep.”

He let out a whoosh of air and sat back in his chair. Blinking his eyes twice, he was sure Aundy couldn’t have said what he thought she did.

“Did you say sheep?”

“Yes,” Aundy whispered, staring down at the cloth covering the table.

“Smelly, nasty, bleating little sheep?”

“Well, I don’t know about the smelly, nasty, or bleating part, but yes, I did agree to purchase sheep.”

“Woman! What are you thinking? Did you sign papers, make payment? Is the deal final?”

“Not yet. Mr. O’Connell was under the impression I was helping a new widow. I asked him to call Mrs. Erickson Monday morning to make arrangements for the sale.”

“O’Connell? The whiskey drinking Irishman? Why he’ll…” Garrett yelled, his eyes flashing fire.

Aundy reached across the table and clapped a hand across his mouth. “Shh. You’ll have Dent and the boys in here if you don’t quiet down. Not only should you not be here, especially with me dressed like this, but I’m not quite ready to impart the knowledge to them that we’ll soon be raising sheep.”

“Fred will quit.” Garrett stated a fact Aundy already knew. He’d made it perfectly clear that he had no interest in tending sheep, so it was a gamble she had to make.

“I’ve taken that possibility into consideration.”

“Did you also take into consideration that a lot of the neighbors around here hate sheep? Not just dislike them, but hate them. I know many people in the area raise sheep, but our neighbors are all wheat growers and cattlemen. If you think about it, there isn’t one little lamb to be found from here all the way to Pendleton.”

BETRAYED

By Lillian Duncan

About the Book

Witness Protection Program claims they can keep anyone safe if only they follow the rules so Maria follows the rules–every rule. She’s given up everything–her friends, her family, her past, even her name to ensure her daughter has a future. Reborn as Veronica Minor in the sleepy little town of Sunberry, Ohio, she struggles to rebuild their life amid the beauty of her flower shop. A life where her daughter can have a happy normal childhood. A life where her daughter will never know that her father was a monster. When a child disappears, Veronica prays it has nothing to do with her past, but what if she’s wrong? Not knowing who to trust, she trusts no one…and that’s her first mistake

LINK to KINDLE | LINK to PAPERBACK

Lillian Duncan

Stories of faith mingled… with murder & mayhem.

Lillian is a multi-published writer who writes the type of books she loves to read—suspense with a touch of romance. Whether as an educator, a writer, or a speech pathologist, she believes in the power of words to transform lives, especially God’s Word.

To learn more about Lillian and her books, visit: www.lillianduncan.net. She also has a devotional blog at: www.PowerUpWithGod.com as well as her personal blog, Tiaras & Tennis Shoes at www.lillian-duncan.com

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Meet Archibald.

Excerpt:

Hundreds of years ago, when Archibald was a kitten, no one thought he would survive. The tiniest of the litter, while his brothers and sisters got loving homes, Archibald was forgotten.

Sad and unloved, he sat down, determined to never get back up. That was when God spoke to Archibald for the very first time. He said, in a way only God can speak to someone inside their heart, where no one else can hear, “You’re not alone, Archibald. I am always with you.”

Archibald perked up his ears, but couldn’t see where the voice had come from. “Where are you? Why can’t I see you?” he asked cautiously.

“It would be difficult to understand unless I show you.”

“Then show me.”

“Very well. Close your eyes.”

Archibald closed his eyes where he sat on the hard dirt ground. He first became aware of his own breathing, in and out evenly through his nose and mouth. Then he felt his heart speed up and slow down.

God spoke again, “I created you, Archibald. I am within and around you. I preserve your life.”

The wind increased. It ruffled Archibald’s black fur and he shivered. He opened his eyes to see the branches of the trees around him swaying. A bird burst into song and flapped its wings loudly, flying away.

“And You are in the breeze through the trees and the birds of the air?” Archibald asked, astonishment making his eyes grow wide.

“I am.”

Join Archibald on his first adventure, as he discovers God’s purpose for his life and meets Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Some say cats have nine lives, but Archibald only had one. However, while he was looking for his forever home, God placed Archibald in different lands and times to see amazing miracles that He did for His people. With lessons intertwined within each story and four devotionals included for you and your child at the back of the books in the series, these stories are sure to become a favorite. Each book also includes a “Find the Hidden Character” fun feature for younger children to look for as they listen. Included devotionals written by Karen Michelle Ricci. See the reviews and buy a Kindle or Paperback copy on Amazon. Win a Paperback Copy of Archibald’s First Bible Adventure below, Archibald and the Fiery Furnace by Laura J. Marshall.

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We’re kicking off the release of Linda’s new Harlequin Heartwarming novel and sharing an excerpt with you below! Once you’ve checked out the book info and read the excerpt, enter the two fabulous giveaways!

Eva’s Deadline

by Linda Hope Lee
Paperback or ebook, 368 pages
April 1, 2014 by Harlequin Heartwarming

Eva Sinclair finally had it all: the Seattle sea-view condo, the fancy blue car and the assistant editorship at the city’s hottest magazine. Everything she fought for since the day she walked out on her father and the Willow Beach Herald, his beloved small-town newspaper.

With one call from Mark Townson, her father’s protege, it was all gone. Her father. Her career. Her independence. And, quite possibly, her mind. Because fulfilling her father’s final wishes meant meeting a one-year deadline as Mark’s coeditor at the Herald. That’s what they call an impossible deadline. Especially when the sparks begin to fly.

Read an Excerpt now HERE!

Harlequin * Goodreads * Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo

Praise for previous books by Linda Hope Lee:

For Tell Me No Lies: “Well-written . . . fast-paced . . . highly recommended.”

-Joyce Koehl, Romance Reviews Today

For Dark Memories: “An emotional drama and puzzling suspense . . . churns with guilt, passion, and intrigue.”

–Romantic Times

For Finding Sara: “A modern Western, packed with secrets, intrigue, and old-fashioned romance.”

–WRDF

For Loving Rose: “A heartwarming read that will tug at your heartstrings.”

–sizzlinghotbooks.net

“What a beautiful story!”

–sirenbookreviews.blogspot.com

Linda Hope Lee writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and mysteries. She enjoys traveling especially to small towns in search of story ideas. She’s also an artist, specializing in watercolor, pen and ink, and colored pencil. Photography provides inspiration for both her writing and her art. She lives in the Pacific Northwest, where many of her stories are set.

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We’re celebrating the release of Michelle Diener’s second fairy tale retelling:
The Golden Apple
An Adult Fantasy Romance based loosely on the Princess on the Glass Hill

The Golden Apple

by Michelle Diener

Adult Fantasy/SciFi

March 24, 2014

Kayla’s world has been turned upside-down…

Her father has made her the prize in a deadly, impossible tournament, and Kayla has retaliated in the only way she knows how; by choosing her champion beforehand. But taking control of the outcome changes the game completely, and when the real reason behind the strange test becomes apparent, Kayla realizes not just her life, but her entire kingdom is at stake.

Rane’s honor is torn in two…

In order to save his brother, Rane will do whatever he has to–including deceive and betray a princess. He knew nothing about this tournament would be easy, but when it turns into a deeper, far more sinister game, Rane is forced to see it through to the end, or leave his brother at the mercy of their enemy.

Now their fates are entwined, and they must venture into the deep, dark forest together…

Kayla and Rane are bound to one another by an enchantment and Kayla’s actions. But the sorcerer forcing them to do his will may have miscalculated, because no-one comes out of the Great Forest unchanged. No-one.

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The inspiration for The Golden Apple

The Golden Apple is loosely based on the Norwegian fairy tale The Princess on the Glass Hill. The original tale is more about the hero than the heroine, and it is a very straightforward quest story, with the hero becoming more and more accomplished, until at last he succeeds against the odds. But there were a few things in this fairy tale that stood out for me and made me take notice. The first is the very unusual situation of the king holding a contest for his daughter’s hand by putting her on top of a glass hill with a golden apple in her lap. Knights from all over are invited to race a horse up the smooth glass sides of the mountain and the one who can pluck the golden apple from the princess’s lap wins her hand and is heir to the kingdom. As usual in fairy tales, there is no explanation as to how the king came by a glass mountain, but I wondered where he got it, and that sparked the starting point of the story. It is really the inciting incident that starts the story off, rather than the focus of the story, as it was in the fairy tale.

Secondly, the crux of the tale, for me, is that the hero cannot win the princess’s hand without help from the princess herself. That part of the original tale is one or two lines long, but for me, it’s fascinating. The feminine power determining and choosing which masculine power will prevail. This really made me interested, because the princess doesn’t just sit there and take whoever it is manages to accomplish the (impossible) task set by her father, but actively chooses who it is she wants to win and helps them. I wanted to write a story about the consequences of her taking that power and using it and The Golden Apple was the result — far, far more heroine-centric than the original, and I really had fun with it.
– Michelle Diener

LAST CALL FOR REVIEWERS!

Are you interested in fantasy romance?
Do you love fairy tale retellings?
Have you read Michelle Diener and enjoyed her work in the past?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you can request a review copy of The Golden Apple! The Golden Apple is up for review by invitation only on NetGalley. Reviewers with book review sites can apply for a limited number of pre-approved copies. Book reviewers who post their review on their review site, Amazon, and Goodreads can enter a Rafflecopter draw to win one of ten copies of any Michelle Diener book of their choice, or a $10 Amazon gift card. (Instructions in sign-up form.)

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Michelle Diener writes historical fiction. Her Susanna Horenbout & John Parker series, set in the court of Henry VIII, includes In a Treacherous Court, Keeper of the King’s Secrets and In Defense of the Queen.

Michelle’s other historical novels include Daughter of the Sky, The Emperor’s Conspiracy and Banquet of Lies (loosely connected to The Emperor’s Conspiracy).

Michelle’s first fantasy novel, Mistress of the Wind, is set for a December 23, 2013, release.

Michelle was born in London, grew up in South Africa and currently lives in Australia with her husband and two children.

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Blitz-Wide Giveaways:

1 – Enter to WIN one of ten ebooks of The Golden Apple.
– March 30 – April 7.
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– Choose any one of Michelle Diener’s books or $10 Gift Card!

– March 24 – April 7

Request an early review copy using the form. Instructions on entering the second giveaway are included!

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