Heroine Interview for Deadly Intent by Camy Tang

Congratulations to Cindi for winning Trish Perry's Sunset Beach and Tonya for winning Allie Pleiter's Bluegrass Blessings.

This week I'm hosting Camy Tang with Deadly Intent, Liz Johnson with The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn, and Cynthia Hickey with Candy-Coated Secrets. If you want to enter the drawing for the book, please leave a comment on one of the post during the week with your email address. I will not enter you without an email address (my way to contact you if you win). If you don't want to leave an email address, another way you can enter is to email me at margaretdaley@gmail.com. The drawings end Sunday (July 12th) evening.

Interview with the heroine:

1. Naomi, tell me the most interesting thing about you.

I’m a massage therapist! I love helping people relax.

2. What do you do for fun?

Eat my aunt’s Japanese food! Lately I haven’t had time to relax myself, because Dad had a stroke and I’m acting manager of the family day spa right now. Dad is grooming me to take over the spa when he retires, although I’m not sure it’s what I really want to do.

3. What do you put off doing because you dread it?

Paperwork! Yuck! I’d rather just be a massage therapist and make people happy.

4. What are you afraid of most in life?

Being hemmed in and forced to do what I don’t want to do. But I love my family, too, and sometimes I have to cave to their wishes.

5. What do you want out of life?

A real date with Dr. Devon Knightley. But he doesn’t seem interested in me, so that’s just wishful thinking.

6. What is the most important thing to you?

My family. We’re really close—my two sisters Rachel and Monica, my dad, and my aunt Becca, who is Mom’s sister. She helps us remember our half-Japanese heritage and she’s been taking care of us since Mom died. I’d do anything for them.

7. Do you read? If so, what is your favorite type of book to read?

Mostly massage therapy journals. Once in a while I’ll sneak some time to read my favorite author, Margaret Daley.

8. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I wish I were pretty, like Monica, or smart, like Rachel. I’m a bit of a tomboy. Guys just aren’t attracted to me because of that, I guess.

9. Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet?

We have a family dog, and his name is—don’t laugh—Ugga-wugga. What can I say? Rachel named him when we were kids. Poor thing is getting older, but we love him.

10. If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?

I’d actually go back only a few months—to the last Zoe International fundraiser dinner. I sat with Devon all night and we had a great time—at least, I did. But he never asked for my number or indicated he wanted to see me outside of that night. I was too unsure to say anything myself, but I’d go back to that night and take the initiative. If he said no, well then, I would at least have known I tried.

This week Camy Tang, Liz Johnson and Cynthia Hickey

This week I'm doing something a little different since I have three people I'm hosting on the blog and I'm going to be at a retreat at the end of the week. I will announce the winner of last week's contest tomorrow when I post Camy Tang's heroine's interview.

This week I'm hosting Camy Tang with Deadly Intent, Liz Johnson with The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn, and Cynthia Hickey with Candy-Coated Secrets. If you want to enter the drawing for the book, please leave a comment on one of the post during the week with your email address. I will not enter you without an email address (my way to contact you if you win). If you don't want to leave an email address, another way you can enter is to email me at margaretdaley@gmail.com. The drawings end Sunday (July 12th) evening.

Camy Tang's bio:
Camy Tang writes romance with a kick of wasabi. Originally from
Hawaii, she worked as a biologist for 9 years, but now she writes full
time. She is a staff worker for her San Jose church youth group and
leads a worship team for Sunday service. She also runs the Story
Sensei fiction critique service, which specializes in book doctoring.
On her blog, she gives away Christian novels, and she ponders
frivolous things like dumb dogs (namely, hers), coffee-geek husbands
(no resemblance to her own...), the writing journey, Asiana, and
anything else that comes to mind. Visit her website at
http://www.camytang.com/.

Blurb for Deadly Intent:
SCENE OF THE CRIME

The Grant family’s exclusive Sonoma spa is a place for rest and
relaxation—not murder! Then Naomi Grant finds her client Jessica Ortiz
bleeding to death in her massage room, and everything falls apart. The
salon’s reputation is at stake...and so is Naomi’s freedom when she
discovers that she is one of the main suspects! Her only solace is
found with the other suspect—Dr. Devon Knightley, the victim’s
ex-husband. But Devon is hiding secrets of his own. When they come to
light, where can Naomi turn...and whom can she trust?


About Liz Johnson:
After graduating from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff with a degree in public relations, Liz Johnson set out to work in the Christian publishing industry, which was her lifelong dream. In 2006 she got her wish when she accepted a publicity position at a major trade book publisher. While working as a publicist in the industry, she decided to pursue her other dream-being an author. Along the way to having her novel published, she wrote articles for several magazines and worked as a freelance editorial consultant.

Liz lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where she enjoys theater, ice skating, volunteering in her church’s bookstore and making frequent trips to Arizona to dote on her nephew and three nieces. She loves stories of true love with happy endings. The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn is her first novel. You can follow her writing adventures at www.lizjohnsonbooks.com.

Blurb for The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn:


Cynthia Hickey's bio:
Cynthia Hickey is the author of Fudge-Laced Felonies and Candy-Coated Secrets. The third in the series, Chocolate-Covered Crime is scheduled for release in the fall of 2010. She lives in Arizona with two of their seven children, one dog, one cat, a snake named Flash, and a fish named Floyd.

Blurb for Candy-Coated Secrets:
When a carnival train crashes in front of Summer Meadows's house, she does what comes naturally--she acts without thinking and volunteers to lean an elephant to the fairground. The animal's trainer follows close behind but disappears when they reach their destination. When Summer goes looking for the trainer, she finds something altogether different--a woman hanging dead in the shower of one of the trailers.

A carnival slew of mishap and misadventure ensue when Summer and her fiance, Ethan, set out to solve the murder.

New Releases-July

1. A Promise Kept, Heartsong Presents Historical Ohio Book 1 , by Cara C. Putman from Heartsong Present. Newleyweds Josie & Art must choose whether to honor the promises they've made when their relationship experiences the fire of pain.

2. Blackmail, sixth and final book in the Bayou Series, by Robin Carroll from Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense. The sixth and final book in Robin Carroll's romantic suspense bayou series.

3. Cranberry Hearts, by Lena Nelson Dooley, Beth Goddard and Lisa Harris from Barbour Publishing. What will happen when three Massachusetts women find their journeys home lead them down dangerous paths?

4. Deadly Intent, by Camy Tang from Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense. Massage therapist Naomi Grant must prove her innocence when her client is murdered in her family's Sonoma day spa.

5. Gripped By Fear, The Chicago Warriors Series, by John M. Wills from TotalRecall. Two Chicago Detectives struggle to capture a serial rapist.

6. Hometown Courtship, by Diann Hunt from Steeple Hill Love Inspired. A carpenter and a hair stylist work to build a house together--but are they building much more?

7. Lonestar Secrets, Lonestar Series Book 2, by Colleen Coble from Thomas Nelson. A young veterinarian returns to her childhood home and finds the man who humiliated her may be in custody of a daughter she thought had died.

8. Love's Rescue, The Sierra Chronicles Book One, by Tammy Barley from Whitaker House. A headstrong Southern woman falls for her kidnapper, a Western cattleman she blames for the loss of her family.

9. Maggie Rose, Second in The Daughters of Jacob Kane series , by Sharlene MacLaren from Whitaker House. Mission-minded Maggie Rose takes a job at an orphanage in New York City, never expecting to fall in love with a hardnosed newspaper reporter.

10. Menu for Romance, Brides of Bonneterre Series Book #2, by Kaye Dacus from Barbour Publishing. The Chef and the Party Planner Each Seek the Kind of Love that Requires No Reservations.

11. Montana Rose, by Mary Connealy from Barbour Publishing. Love Comes Softy, with mayhem, comedy and gunfire.

12. Ransome's Honor, Book 1 The Ransome Trilogy, by Kaye Dacus from Harvest House PUblishers. Once Youthful Sweethearts—Can Their Love Be Renewed?

13. Rose of the Adriatic, Sequel to Jewel of the Adriatic , by K.M. Daughters from The Wild Rose Press. Messages of hope and peace for the world from Our Lady of Medjugorje woven into a prayerful, fictional love story.


14. Second Chance Family, Fostered by Love Series Book 4, by Margaret Daley from Steeple Hill Love Inspired. Whitney and Shane, two wounded people, come together to try and help each other heal from their past through the appeal of a little boy who is autistic.

15. The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn, by Liz Johnson from Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense. Kenzie Thorn is surprised when she's kidnapped from the prison where she teaches a GED course, and even more shocking is that someone wants her dead.

16. The Last Resort, The Wanderlust Mysteries Book 2, by April Star from Five Star Gale I Cengage Learning. One woman's murder and a bottle washed ashore on the St. Anastasia beach open a Pandora's box and unleash secrets pursued by an entire camping resort . . . and the truth proves as elusive as the killer in their midst.

17. The Sacred Cipher, by Terry Brennan from Kregel Publications. An ancient, secret scroll could trigger nuclear war or world peace, four Americans are caught in the crossfire, and opposing radicals will stop at nothing to silence The Sacred Cipher.

Heroine Interview from Bluegrass Blessings by Allie Pleiter

This week I'm hosting Trish Perry with her book, Sunset Beach, and Allie Pleiter with Bluegrass Blessings. If you want to enter the drawing for the book, please leave a comment on one of the post during the week with your email address. I will not enter you without an email address (my way to contact you if you win). If you don't want to leave an email address, another way you can enter is to email me at margaretdaley@gmail.com. The drawings end Sunday (July 5th) evening.

Heroine Interview from Bluegrass Blessings by Allie Pleiter:

1.Dinah, tell me the most interesting thing about you.
I love to bake. Anything and everything, but especially things that surprise you. Why just make ordinary cookies when you can make gingerbread hippos? Now, my mom wouldn’t say that’s the most interesting thing about me--she thinks my baking is...well...perhaps we’d better not go there. I love to do cakes, too. They almost always mark special occasions and I have loads of fun making them fit the character of the people they’re celebrating. I’m so jazzed up to do my good friend Emily’s wedding cake in a month or so, I might even forgive her for making me wear pastel ruffles. I own a gazillion pairs of flip-flops and wear them year round, but I’m sure I don’t have a pair to wear with a bridesmaid’s dress like she’s got planned.

2.What do you do for fun?
Baking’s fun, that’s for sure, but my finicky oven has a nasty habit of taking all the fun out of it. I like to be with my friends, that sort of stuff. All of life’s fun, if you ask me. Well, most of it.

3.What do you put off doing because you dread it?
Oh, that’s easy: dealing with my mother. There’s a reason I moved out of New Jersey as fast as I could, you know. We do much better with a few hundred miles between us. I know as a woman of faith, I should show a little more spine (or maybe compassion), but we can’t ever seem to talk without it turning into an instant argument. I love her but she drives me nuts.

4.What are you afraid of most in life?
Not getting the most out of life, I suppose. God hands us this bunch of years to learn what we’re all really about, to figure out how to love each other and decide what’s really important--we need to make the most of it. I couldn’t spend something as precious as life hunkered down in some office doing some sensible job--I need to be out in the world, frosting it!

5.What do you want out of life?
A really good haircut, an obedient oven, and the secret to great royal icing! No, really, I want to be connected with the people around me. To matter to people and have them matter to me. That’s why I moved to Middleburg--small towns do that better than anywhere else. Of course, we get all up in everyone’s business here, but it’s because we all really care about each other.

6.What is the most important thing to you?
Celebrating life. Encouraging and celebrating all the little moments that make up life. Sure, there are the wedding cakes and the birthday cakes of life, but I want someone’s daily cinnamon roll to feel like a celebration. Cupcakes for no reason other than it’s Thursday. Extra frosting. That’s the kind of thing that makes me happiest of all, and why God put me on the planet.

7.Do you read? If so, what is your favorite type of book to read?
Well, cookbooks, but that’s obvious. I read one big, juicy novel on vacation every year. Other days, I’m too busy to manage more than just a magazine.

8.If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
When I was younger, I hated my red curls, but now I love ‘em. Why shouldn’t a stand-out gal like me have stand-out hair? Now, I suppose, I’d like to think before I act. I tend to be a shoot first, aim later person, and well, that’s gotten me into a far amount of trouble in the past.

9. Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet?
If I had a dog, he’d be the fattest dog in Middleburg, that’s for sure. Nope, no pets.

10.If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?
Baker to a king in some medieval castle! Man, that’s when a feast was a feast and food really mattered. Of course, it was a bit harder then, but the drama would more than make up for it. Of course, then I’d probably have to wear something frilly and pin my hair up in some sort of contraption, but I’d cope just to get the chance to say “I’m the Royal Baker.”

Hero Interview from Sunset Beach by Trish Perry

This week I'm hosting Trish Perry with her book, Sunset Beach, and Allie Pleiter with Bluegrass Blessings. If you want to enter the drawing for the book, please leave a comment on one of the post during the week with your email address. I will not enter you without an email address (my way to contact you if you win). If you don't want to leave an email address, another way you can enter is to email me at margaretdaley@gmail.com. The drawings end Sunday (July 5th) evening.

INTERVIEW WITH SONNY MILLER, HEROINE OF SUNSET BEACH

1. Sonny, tell me the most interesting thing about you.

Compared to your average person, I know very little about myself. My family background, I mean. I know my mother, but all my life she’s refused to let me know who my dad is or anyone else in my family. She tells me it’s for my own good, but I’m an adult now, and I intend to find out what all the secrecy is about. So I guess you could say the most interesting thing about me is whatever is missing from my family album, and I haven’t yet figured out what that missing element is.

2. What do you do for fun?

I love going to the beach. I’ve been at UC San Diego for the past four years, so my friends and I spend plenty of time at the beach. And I enjoy hiking, parasailing, dancing, and going to the movies. It might sound weird, but I also read Psychology books and magazines for fun.

3. What do you put off doing because you dread it?

All things math related. I just got my psychology degree, and I kept putting off the math courses required of me. So I had to take a bunch of them back-to-back. Statistics was the worst. Actually made me cry one day, I was so frustrated. I have some math-geek friends who saved me more than once over the past four years. I’m sure I’ll have to face that stuff in grad school too, but I hope to study more about counseling and less about calculating.

4. What are you afraid of most in life?

This is going to sound awful, but I’m kind of afraid of my mother. Not afraid of her as if she’s some brutal monster. But she’s probably the strongest-willed woman I know. No, I’ll correct that—not probably. She is the strongest-willed woman I know. And I know she loves me, but if I’m honest I have to say I fear losing her love. Especially considering what I’m cooking up for our week at the beach house in San Diego. But at this point in our relationship, I feel I have no other choice. I can only pray she forgives me and our relationship survives that week.

5. What do you want out of life?

I want to meet my family. I’m pretty sure they’re out there, but they probably don’t know I’m out here. If my father’s alive, I want to meet him. If I have grandparents who are still alive, I want to meet them while I still have the chance. I want my own mother to come clean about her life before me. I want to know why I seem to be the secret she’s kept for the past 24 years.

6. What is the most important thing to you?

Well, of course God is the most important “thing” in my life. But other than God, I think the most important thing to me is a future different than my past. My past has been a big question mark. I want my future to be a big exclamation point.

7. Do you read? If so, what is your favorite type of book to read?

I love to read! As I mentioned above, I love my psychology magazines and books about psychological phenomena, like people who suffer from dissociative identity disorder—what’s commonly known as multiple personality disorder. But I also enjoy a good romance novel. Not the yearning, burning, heaving type of romance. I like real romances, the ones about committed, everlasting love.

8. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I’m an eentsy bit of a control freak. I know how I like things, and I have a hard time bending to other people’s wishes sometimes. I’m trying to become more flexible and laid back.

9. Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet?

I’ve never had a pet. Mom always did a lot of traveling with her work—she’s a professional singer—so she always thought a pet would just add trouble to our schedule. Now I won’t be able to have one for several years, because I’ll be in grad school and renting a place. I expect to be too busy to care properly for a pet, anyway. But after I finish grad school and know where I’m going to live and work, I want to get a puppy. Sometimes I get lonely. I mean, I have a lot of friends, but a puppy of my own will feel more like a family member. I like the idea of that.

10. If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?

This will sound egocentric, but I’d only want to go back four years, to a place here in California called Sunset Beach. Something happened there, and I had to make a difficult choice. It was the right decision at the time, but things have changed. Had I known then what I know now . . .

This week Trish Perry and Allie Pleiter

Congratulations to Edna for winning Diana Brandmeyer's Hearts on the Road and to Sarah for winning Cheryl St. John's The Preacher's Wife.

This week I'm hosting Trish Perry with her book, Sunset Beach, and Allie Pleiter with Bluegrass Blessings. If you want to enter the drawing for the book, please leave a comment on one of the post during the week with your email address. I will not enter you without an email address (my way to contact you if you win). If you don't want to leave an email address, another way you can enter is to email me at margaretdaley@gmail.com. The drawings end Sunday (July 5th) evening.

Sunset Beach's blurb:

In the popular Beach House series (more than 60,000 copies sold), a worn and comfortable coastal home in San Diego intersects with charming, contemporary stories—Sally John’s The Beach House and Castles in the Sand followed by Trish Perry’s Beach Dreams. In Sunset Beach, Perry delights fans by returning to the beloved backdrop where women gather and lives change.

Meet Sonny Miller, a recent college graduate with plans to get her master’s degree in psychology. With the intention of resolving some family drama and putting her academic interests to the test, Sonny cleverly invites her mother, Teresa, and her mother’s estranged twin, Aunt Melanie, to the quiet and quirky beach house. They both show up...and with surprises of their own. Teresa, a successful classical singer, brings her latest protégé, Irina, and Melanie brings along secrets about Teresa and the identity of Sonny’s long–gone father.

The strong personalities cause some big waves, and Sonny is in over her head. Soon she is drawn to Irina and Irina’s charming brother, Grigori. Her faith is strengthened by their story of being adopted as children from a Russian orphanage by a Christian couple from America.

Readers will love being a guest alongside these characters. Between each sunrise and sunset is another day for healing, laughter, rediscovering the importance of family, and embracing the hope of God’s care.


Allie Pleiter's bio:

An avid knitter, coffee junkie, and devoted chocoholic, Allie Pleiter spends her days writing books, doing laundry, running carpools, and finding new ways to avoid housework. She grew up in Connecticut, holds a BS in Speech from Northwestern University, spent fifteen years in the field of professional fundraising, and currently lives in suburban Chicago, Illinois.

Bluegrass Blessings' blurb:

Everyone in Middleburg, Kentucky, lines up for baker Dinah Hopkins's cinnamon rolls. Everyone except her handsome new landlord, Cameron Rollings. The jaded city man doesn't like anything about small-town life—from the fresh air to her fresh-baked snickerdoodles. And he clearly considers Dinah as quirky as her eccentric oven. The way to Cameron's heart is not through his toned stomach. But the Lord led him to Kentucky Corners for a reason. And Dinah plans to help him count his bluegrass blessings.

Tidbits about me

A friend sent me this questionnaire and I decided to post it here rather than send it to people on my email list.

1. High heels or boots? Boots or shoes that are flat
2. What time did you get up this morning? Around 7
3. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds
4. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Terminator: Salvation
5. What is your favorite TV show? Amazing Race
6. What do you have for breakfast? Peanut butter and apple/banana
7. What is your middle name? Kathleen
8. What food do you dislike? Fish
9. What is your favorite CD at this time? Celine Dion’s Christmas album
10. Favorite sandwich? Ham and cheese
11. What characteristic do you despise? Lying and cheating
12. Favorite item of clothing? Sweat pants and T-shirt
13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation? Australia
14. Are you an organized person? Yes
15. Where would you like to retire to? On a beach with a mountain behind me
16. When is your birthday? April 27th
17. Morning person or a night person? Morning
18. What is your shoe size? 6 1/2
19. Pets? 3 cats
20. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? Family Ever After won the Holt Medallion in the short inspirational category
21. What did you want to be when you were little? A teacher
22. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? Spending a few days with my husband in Hot Springs
23. What was the last thing you ate? Liver or fish
24. Any regrets in your life? Of course
25. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Sunshine Yellow
26. How is the weather right now? Warm
27. Last person you spoke to on the phone? Angie
28. Favorite soft drink? Diet Dr. Pepper
29. Favorite restaurant? McAllister
30. Hair color? Brown
31. Summer or winter? Summer
32. Chocolate or vanilla? Vanilla
33. Coffee or tea? Tea
34. What is under your bed? Dust Bunnies? My Christmas ornaments
35. What did you do last night? Meet with my critique group
36. What are you afraid of? Snakes and rats
37. Salty or sweet? Sweet
38. How many keys on your key ring? 3
39. How many years at your current job? Just retired from teaching
40. Favorite day of the week? Friday
41. Positive or negative? Positive
42. Do you like finding out all this stuff about your friends? Yes