Featured Debut Novelist: Lisa Belcastro

Lisa Belcastro lives with her family on Martha’s Vineyard. She was inspired to write the Winds of Change trilogy while chaperoning two Tisbury School summer sails aboard the schooner Shenandoah with her daughter, Kayla. The week-long adventure, sans electricity, Game Boys, iPods and modern conveniences, kindled her imagination to dream of an altogether different voyage. 

Lisa currently writes the cuisine column for Vineyard Style magazine. She has worked as a staff and freelance reporter and photographer for The Chronicle of the Horse and as assistant editor at The Blue Ridge Leader. She has written articles for USA Today, Dressage (London), USA WEEKEND Magazine, The Blue Ridge Leader and Sidelines. Lisa co-authored and edited two non-fiction books, American Horses in Sport 1987 and American Horses in Sport 1988.

When she’s not at her desk, Lisa is living in paradise, volunteering at her daughter’s school, serving in her church community, planting and weeding her numerous gardens, trying to run a marathon a month or walking the beach looking for sea glass.

The following is an April 2014 interview with Lisa.

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ENTER THE GIVEAWAY
AT THE END OF THE INTERVIEW

Be in to win copies of 
Shenandoah Nights &
Shenandoah Dreams
by Lisa Belcastro

One Kindle set to be won
Contest open to entrants worldwide.
Contest runs from 11-25 April NZDT

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Featured Debut Novelist: Carla Laureano

Carla Laureano is the author of the romance novel, Five Days in Skye, and as C.E. Laureano is the author of the young adult fantasy series, The Song of Seare.

Carla Laureano earned a degree in English from Pepperdine University in 1997. Since then, she has been a professional marketer, copywriter, and martial arts instructor, but her first love is telling stories that cause readers to look at their world and their faith in new ways.

Carla is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Romance Writers of America (RWA). She was selected as a finalist in ACFW’s 2012 Genesis contest in the speculative fiction category. She lives with her husband, two sons, and a menagerie of small pets in Denver, Colorado.

The following is a February 2014 interview with Carla.

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ENTER THE GIVEAWAY
AT THE END OF THE INTERVIEW

Be in to win a copy of
Five Days in Skye
by Carla Laureano

One copy to be won

Contest open to entrants worldwide.

Contest runs from 14-28 February NZDT

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Featured Author Interview: Robbie Cheuvront

Robbie Cheuvront is the author of The Guardian and Worship Pastor of North Point Church in Corona, California, and was previously at The Journey Church in Lebanon, Tennessee. He is married and has two beautiful children, a boy and a girl. 

Before going into ministry full time, Robbie was a professional musician on the road for about 10 years, where he played bass guitar and sang in the band Lonestar. He traveled the world and experienced many different cultures.

Robbie has always been an avid reader, and after being a professional song writer for several years, decided to try his hand at a novel. Robbie and his co-author and partner in ministry, Pastor Erik Reed, came up with the idea for their first novel, The Guardian, a few years ago. Their publisher, Barbour Books, released their next book in September 2012, Fall, the first in The 13 series, with the conclusion, Stand, published in November 2013.

The following is a February 2014 interview with Robbie.

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ENTER THE GIVEAWAY
AT THE END OF THE INTERVIEW

Be in to win a set of
The 13: Fall and The 13:Stand
by Robbie Cheuvront & Erik Reed 
(with Shawn Allen)

2 paperback sets to be won
Contest open to entrants with USA addresses only.
Contest runs from 7-21 February NZDT

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Featured Author Interview: James L. Rubart

James L. Rubart is the best-selling and Christy award winning author of, ROOMS, BOOK OF DAYS, THE CHAIR, SOUL’S GATE, and MEMORY’S DOOR. 

During the day he runs Barefoot Marketing which helps businesses and authors make more coin of the realm. In his free time he dirt bikes, hikes, golfs, takes photos, and occasionally does sleight of hand. No, he doesn’t sleep much. He lives with his amazing wife and teenage sons in the Pacific Northwest and still thinks he’s young enough to water ski like a madman.

The following is a November 2013 interview with James.

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ENTER THE GIVEAWAY 
AT THE END OF THE INTERVIEW

Be in to win a set of 
Soul's Gate and Memory's Door 
by James L. Rubart

One set to be won

Contest open to entrants in the USA only.

Contest runs from 22 November - 5 December NZDT

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The Carol Awards: 2013 Winners Announced

The Carol Awards are ACFW's recognition for the best Christian fiction published by traditional publishing houses in the previous calendar year.

The following are the winners for the 2013 Carol Awards that were announced during the the Gala held at the 2013  ACFW National Conference in Indianapolis on  September 15, 2013.

Feel free to leave comments of congratulations at the end of the blog post.

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Featured Author Interview: Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Anne Elisabeth Stengl is the award-winning author of the Tales of Goldstone Wood, a series of fantasy adventure novels told in the classic Fairy Tale style.

She studied illustration at Grace College and English literature at Campbell University. She is the author of Heartless, Veiled Rose, Moonblood, and Starflower, with Dragonwitch releasing in July 2013. Her books are popular with adults and young adults alike. Heartless and Veiled Rose have each been honored with a Christy Award.

When she's not writing, she enjoys Shakespeare, opera, and tea, and studies piano, painting, and pastry baking. She is married to the handsome man she met at fencing class, Rohan, and lives with him, a gaggle of cats, and one long-suffering dog in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The following is a July 2013 interview with Anne Elisabeth.

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ENTER THE GIVEAWAY AT THE END OF THE INTERVIEW Be in to win one copy of Dragonwitch.  Giveaway open to entrants worldwide. Contest runs from July 1 - 7 NZDT

Featured Author Interview: R.J. Larson

R. J. Larson is the author of numerous devotionals featured in publications such as The Women's Devotional Bible, and Seasons of a Woman's Heart.

Prophet marks her debut in the fantasy genre, the first book in the Books of the Infinite series, acclaimed Christian fantasy fiction inspired by Biblical prophets and kings.

She lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with her husband and their two sons, and is suspected of eating chocolate and potato chips at her desk while writing. 
The following is a June 2013 interview with R.J.

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ENTER THE GIVEAWAY  AT THE END OF THE INTERVIEW One copy of the winner's choice of either Prophet, Judge, or King.  Contest open to international entrants. Contest runs from June 24-30 NZDT

The Christy Awards: 2013 Nominees Announced

The nominees for the 2013 Christy Awards were announced this weekend.

A total of 28 nominations over nine categories have been revealed. Winners will be announced and presented with their awards at the 14th annual Christy Awards dinner to be held Monday, June 24, 2013, at the Renaissance Grand Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri.

The following is a list of those categories and the nominations in each.

Featured Début Novelist: Ian Acheson

Ian Acheson is the Australian author of the Chronicles of the Angelguard, published by Lion Hudson.

Ian reads a lot, mainly spiritual development books, and a lot of Christian fiction. He finds that great stories transport readers to another place. He's also been telling and writing stories for most of his  life since he was a kid.

Ian is a professional strategy consultant having been in the Corporate world for the past 25 years. He brings some of this experience into his stories.

Ian has lived in Sydney, Australia, all his life. He shares his home there with a most beautiful and gracious lady, his wife, Fiona, where they try to keep up with two almost-twenty something young men who give them much joy and you know what else if you’re a parent.

The following is an April 2013 interview with Ian.