give-away

Double Give-Away with Laura Frantz!

I'm so delighted to share a release date with one of my favorite authors, Laura Frantz, whose book A Moonbow Night launches on January 3 right alongside The Mark of the King! To celebrate the "birthday" of both our eighteenth-century-set books, we are teaming up to give one lucky winner a set of both new releases! (Details on how to enter at the end of this post.) Here's the blurb for A Moonbow Night: Her wilderness survival skills are without rival. But her greatest talent is keeping other people's secrets. After fleeing Virginia, Temperance Tucker and her family established an inn along the Shawnee River. It's a welcome way station for settlers and frontiersmen traveling through the wild Cumberland region of Kentucke--men like Sion Morgan, a Virginia surveyor who arrives at the inn with his crew, looking for an experienced guide. Though he balks when Tempe is appointed to lead his team through the wilderness, it isn't long before Sion must admit that her abilities may outmatch his own. But can the tenuous tie they are forming survive the dangers waiting just around the bend? With her signature sweeping style and ability to bring the distant past to vivid life, Laura Frantz beckons you to join her in a land of Indian ambushes, conflicting loyalties, and a tentative love that meanders like a cool mountain stream. And the blurb for The Mark of the King: Life in This New World Requires More Strength Than She Ever Imagined After the death of her client, midwife Julianne Chevalier is imprisoned and branded, marking her as a criminal beyond redemption. Hoping to reunite with her brother, a soldier, she trades her life sentence for exile to the fledgling French colony of Louisiana. The price of her transport, however, is a forced marriage to a fellow convict. New Orleans is nothing like Julianne expects. The settlement is steeped in mud and mosquitoes, and there is no news of her brother, Benjamin. When tragedy strikes, she turns to military officer Marc-Paul Girard for help, but does he know more about her brother than he will admit? With her dreams shattered, Julianne must find her way in this dangerous land, where only grace--and love--can overcome the stigma of the king's mark upon her shoulder. Now, if you're already familiar with Laura Frantz and love her writing, the good news is that RT Reviews says you'll love The Mark of the King too! :) What an honor! Some books just immerse the reader in the setting, and I think Laura's novels are all excellent examples of that. What is it about a book that makes you feel like you are "right there" with the characters? Leave a comment answering the question, and you'll be entered in the drawing! You may enter by commenting either here, or on Laura's blog. Your entry will be counted either way! *Enter by the end of Dec. 31. The winner will be announced on release day, January 3! Bonus: Free Gift within Moments! Psst! If you're new around here, welcome! I'm so glad you've stopped by. Did you know that when you subscribe to my e-newslsetter, you'll receive a FREE Christian Historical Fiction Travel Guide? Plus, you'll be part of an exclusive mailing list that is the first to hear about new book releases. It's only mailed one to three times a year, depending on how many books I have coming out. Ready to subscribe and receive your free gift? Do it here. Thank you! (You'll get the link free link once you confirm from your email inbox that you really want to subscribe.)

Tags:

give-away

Spy of Richmond-Themed Give-away!

One hundred fifty years ago today, (April 2, 1865) the Confederate government evacuated Richmond, but not before ordering buildings and structures of military importance burned to prevent the Yankees benefiting from them. Unfortunately, the Richmond City Council's order to also destroy all the city's liquor by dumping it in the gutters only served to spread the fire. By the time the Federal troops contained the blazes after arriving on April 3, twenty city blocks had been destroyed. Very few in the Confederacy held out any hope that the South could survive the loss of its capital. Six days after the Stars & Stripes were raised above Richmond for the first time in four bloody years, General Lee surrendered. [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1186", "attributes":{"class":"media-image wp-image-2904", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"600", "height":"432", "alt":"RichmondRuins"}}]] The ruins of Carey Street, Richmond, VA My hope is that those of you who have read Spy of Richmond have some sense of the intense and conflicting emotions the citizens must have felt as they watched their city crumble around them. No matter where their loyalties fell, April 2, 1865, was an awful day. Give-Away! To commemorate this momentous day, I've put together a Spy of Richmond-themed give-away which I hope will delight anyone who has read this novel. [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1187", "attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter wp-image-2907", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"550", "height":"551", "alt":"Spygifts"}}]] Here's what's in the package: A Harper's Weekly sampler set of news from the Civil War. A nod to the journalist hero Harrison Caldwell. The booklet Yanks, Rebels, Rats & Rations: Scratching for Food in Civil War Prison Camps. Ten gorgeous Mort Kunstler postcards depicting the Civil War South. Famous Women of the Civil War card game, featuring Elizabeth Van Lew and other women you may recognize from previous books in the Heroines Behind the Lines series! The novel North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. Our heroine Sophie Kent's favorite book, the inspiration for her writing pseudonym of John Thornton, and ... oh wait, I don't want to spoil the end for those who haven't reach it yet. "Harrison's" compact black Bible with "Sophie's" blue ribbon marking Psalm 31. PLUS: Original artwork: my husband drew a picture of Sophie Kent on a page of text from the novel. Suitable for a 5x7 frame, but no mat or frame is included. Rob is also the man you can thank for the maps in the front of each novel! [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1188", "attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter wp-image-2906", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"300", "height":"440", "alt":"Spysketch"}}]] To enter the drawing, please use the Rafflecopter tool below. You will see several ways to earn points, but you only need to choose one of them to be entered. The more points you earn, the better your chances! a Rafflecopter giveaway A winner will be selected on April 9 and notified via email. Winner, you'll have three days to respond to me with your mailing address. Good luck! Spy of Richmond (Heroines Behind the Lines Civil War Book 4) [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1189", "attributes":{"class":"media-image alignleft size-full wp-image-2014", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"125", "height":"193", "alt":"125Spycover"}}]]432 pages, softcover* Is living a lie ever the right thing to do? The Confederate capital in the height of the Civil War: no place for a Union loyalist. But just the place for a spy. Her father a slaveholder, her suitor a Confederate officer, and herself an abolitionist, Sophie Kent must walk a tightrope of deception in her efforts to end slavery. As suspicion in Richmond rises, Sophie’s espionage becomes more and more dangerous. If her courage will carry her through, what will be lost along the way—her true love, her father, her life? [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1190", "attributes":{"class":"media-image alignnone wp-image-2768 size-full", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"134", "height":"45", "alt":"add-to-goodreads-button"}}]]

Tags:

Give-away: Yankee in Atlanta Book Club in a Box!

[[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1136", "attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter size-full wp-image-2737", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"550", "height":"306", "alt":"Yankeebookclub"}}]] UPDATE: This give-away is now closed, and the winner is Tiffany. Thank you so much to each and every one of you who entered!! I'll be doing another Spy of Richmond themed give-away in March so stay tuned! In honor of Abraham Lincoln's birthday today, I want to give away not just one of my Civil War novels, but an entire book club in a box! Enter to win this package: Five signed copies of Yankee in Atlanta for you and your friends Discussion questions (included in the back of each novel) A box of Earl Grey tea (the character Vivian McKae's favorite). There's enough tea here for all of you to enjoy it while reading the novel, and during your book club's meeting, if you choose. Dances with Wolves soundtrack to listen to during your book club. I listened to this while writing Yankee in Atlanta, especially the last part of the book--it is among my all-time favorite soundtracks! Cooking for the Cause: Confederate Recipes and Substitutions. Use this booklet as a give-away during your book club, or prepare one of the recipes for your friends, or both! Not familiar with Yankee in Atlanta yet? Read more about it here, see an excerpt, and check out what others had to say: “Powerful historical fiction at its stunning best. Yankee in Atlanta crests the heights of excellence with a heroic tale of love and war so brutally honest and achingly beautiful, it will rent your heart and heal your soul. “ ~Julie Lessman, award-winning author of The Daughters of Boston and Heart of San Francisco series “Once again, Jocelyn Green weaves together the intensity of war with the impact on human lives. In Yankee in Atlanta, we see two women on opposite sides of the battle lines, each experiencing the deprivations of wartime, each reeling from historical events, and each struggling personally. This is Civil War fiction at its best.” ~Sarah Sundin, award-winning author of On Distant Shores “Green has written a rare Civil War novel that hits no false historical notes. In a cruel and violent time that divided loyalties, families and hearts, Green’s heroines’ enduring courage, compassion and mercy show the wellspring from which a renewed nation could emerge from the fires of war.” ~Marc Wortman, PhD, author, The Bonfire: The Siege and Burning of Atlanta Yankee in Atlanta is book 3 in the Heroines Behind the Lines Civil War series. Book 4, Spy of Richmond, releases March 1! To enter the drawing for this give-away, please use the Rafflecopter tool below. I'll give you several ways to earn entries, but you only need to choose one of them. (Choosing more than one will increase your odds, though!) We start this give-away today, on Lincoln's birthday, and it will close at the end of Feb. 22, Washington's birthday. The winner will have three days to respond to my email with a mailing address once the give-away is closed. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tags:

give-aways

give-away

Yankee in Atlanta

5-book Give-away! Growing Up Social: Raising Relational Kids in a Screen-Driven World

[[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1084", "attributes":{"class":"media-image alignleft size-full wp-image-2349", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"317", "height":"475", "alt":"GrowingUpSocial_RD3"}}]]Friends. Let me tell you, this book, Growing Up Social by Dr. Gary Chapman and Arlene Pellicane, is the best book for parents I've read in at least a year. It is NOT anti-technology, it does NOT impose unreasonable rules and principles. Instead, it acknowledges that we live in a screen-driven world, and makes the reader aware of what that means for children, and then shares what we can do to foster five key relational skills in our kids that screens do not cultivate. The following, from ArlenePellicane.com, describes the book very well: In our digital age, children are spending more and more time interacting with a screen rather than a real person. Technology has the potential to add value to our lives, but is it possible that too much screen time could be robbing our children of something much more valuable—namely, the emotional and social skills needed to succeed as they grow towards adulthood? In Growing Up Social, you’ll learn how to take back your home from an over-dependence on screens. Discover the five A + skills needed to give your child the relational edge: The Skill of Affection – How do you show real love to another person? The Skill of Appreciation – How do you cultivate a grateful heart? The Skill of Attention – How do you focus and be a good listener? The Skill of Anger Management – How do you express anger in a productive way? The Skill of Apology – How do you mend a relationship after you make a mistake? Today’s screens aren’t just in our living rooms; they are in our pockets. Now is the time to equip your child to live with screen time, not for screen time. Constant entertainment is not the goal of childhood. No phone, tablet, or gaming device can teach your child how to have healthy relationships; only you can. Growing Up Social will help you: Equip your child to be relational rich in a digital world Replace mindless screen time with meaningful family time Establish simple boundaries that make a huge difference Read what’s working for the screen savvy family down the street Prepare your child to succeed down the road in relationships and life Learn healthy ways to occupy your child while you get things done For more, visit Arlene's Web page here. Let me also point out that there is a chapter dedicated to the challenges of single parenting. Military spouses, you can relate to this when your spouse is deployed. It's so easy to allow a screen to be a babysitter when the parent is already so drained. The authors understand that, and speak directly to this situation. Also, at no point did I feel "judged" or defensive by this book. Mostly, I was too busy underlining and dog-earing, and telling my husband that he'd really like to read this book when I'm done. :) I really appreciated the scientific studies the authors referenced. I found it fascinating and helpful to learn how our brains work--which sections are used for deep thinking, and which are used for skimming, how we rewire our brains based on our activities, and the implications of that in daily life and relationships. I'm going to be focusing on nurturing the five "A" skills (affection, appreciation, anger management, apology, and attention) in our family for sure. We have already started, and I'm already seeing positive results. Northfield Publishing is generously offering FIVE copies of Growing Up Social for readers of this blog! Please enter the drawing by using the Raffflecopter form below. I'm giving you several ways to enter--you need only choose one of them, but choosing more than one gives you more entries. Five winners will be notified by email when the drawing closes, and will have three days to respond with mailing addresses. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tags:

My Yankee in Atlanta Research Scrapbook

UPDATE! The drawing for the prize package is now closed, and the winner is Lisa Stifler! Thanks to all for entering! One of the best things about writing my Civil War novels has been visiting as many of the historical sites as possible. Below, I'd love to share with you just a few highlights from several locations on my Yankee in Atlanta research journey. You won't see any pictures from Atlanta, though I did visit the Atlanta History Center, or from New York City, since I could not finagle a trip there either (which was fine because the historical documents were plenty detailed). What you will see are snapshots from: Marietta, Georgia: Marietta was in Sherman's path on the way to Atlanta. The Marietta Museum of History has amazing artifacts from 1864. Lookout Mountain, Tennessee: the site of the battle in which my character Noah Becker fought in November 1863. It was a stinging Confederate loss right before they made winter camp in Dalton, Georgia. Rock Island Confederate Prison Camp, Illinois: SPOILER ALERT! This is where a certain male character spent several months. Cedar Falls, Iowa: If you read the end of Yankee in Atlanta, you know what happens in this town, which was the western terminus of the Illinois Central Railroad in 1865. It also happens to be my hometown, but that's not why I used it. I found records of New York City orphan trains delivering thirteen orphans to Cedar Falls, Iowa. Living only blocks from the Cedar Falls Historical Society and other historic buildings certainly made things easier for me. :) Enjoy! ...And stay tuned, because at the end of this post, I'm offering a Yankee in Atlanta themed give-away to one lucky winner! [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1025", "attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter wp-image-2043 size-full", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"600", "height":"600", "alt":"Marietta collage"}}]] [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1026", "attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter size-full wp-image-2042", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"600", "height":"600", "alt":"Lookout collage"}}]] [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1027", "attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter size-full wp-image-2039", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"600", "height":"600", "alt":"Cemetery collage"}}]] [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1028", "attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter size-full wp-image-2044", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"600", "height":"471", "alt":"SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES"}}]] [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1029", "attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter size-full wp-image-2040", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"600", "height":"227", "alt":"Ana Elsa"}}]] [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1030", "attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter size-full wp-image-2041", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"600", "height":"600", "alt":"CF Collage"}}]] The Give-Away! I had a lot of fun putting this together. Below you can see the package with close-ups of two of the gifts. Included are: Voices of the Civil War: Atlanta. This is a gorgeous book, worthy of an coffee table. It's full of quotes from people who experienced the Atlanta campaign-Union and Confederate soldiers, plus those on the home front. Photos of the people and their artifacts, maps, and summaries of each battle are also included. (Inside of book shown at bottom of photo). Union & Confederate Military Leaders playing cards. Reminiscent of all the card games soldiers played in camp (close-up at bottom of photo). The Confederate Soldier's Pocket Manual of Devotions: Balm for the Weary and Wounded. Noah Becker used this book in the novel, and now you can have your own copy. If you look closely at the photo in the bottom right, you can see a picture of a real soldier's copy he had on him during the battle, too. Handmade soap from Marietta. A Caitlin doll. This is a Corolle doll which just reminds me so much of my main character Caitlin with her hair and eyes and freckles. You know those American Girl dolls? If there was ever a collection of Heroines Behind the Lines dolls, this one would be Caitlin. Soft body, lots of hair, the eyes close when she lies down, and she smells like vanilla. [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1031", "attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter size-full wp-image-2037", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"600", "height":"600", "alt":"Yankee giveaway"}}]] To Enter the Give-away: There are several easy ways to enter this give-away. You only need to choose one of them, but the more entries, of course, the better your chances. Please use the Rafflecopter form below to get started! Have fun! a Rafflecopter giveaway A winner will be selected and announced the day after Labor Day. I'll email the winner for a mailing address, and the winner will have three days to respond. If I don't hear back in three days, I'll have to choose a different winner. BONUS! From August 24-28, each novel in the Heroines Behind the Lines series is only $2.99 in ebook format! Shop at Amazon, ChristianBook, or BarnesandNoble for Wedded to War, Widow of Gettysburg, and Yankee in Atlanta. [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1032", "attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter size-full wp-image-2049", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"400", "height":"607", "alt":"Ebook sale graphic"}}]] One final note: if you leave a comment and it doesn't appear, that means it's awaiting moderation from me. This could take me a few days, or a week, since I'm actually camping in the Black Hills this week. Never fear. The Rafflecopter will account for all your entries while I'm looking for buffalo or spelunking in Wind Cave National Park. :)

Tags:

Behind the Books

give-away

Yankee in Atlanta

A Charlotte-Inspired Give-Away!

[[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"957", "attributes":{"class":"media-image alignleft", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"144", "height":"144", "alt":"Christy medallion"}}]] UPDATE: This drawing is now closed. The winner is: Jasmine Augustine! One week from today, the Christy Awards will be presented! Wedded to War is a finalist in two categories this year, so why not celebrate with a Charlotte-inspired give-away? You can see the other finalists in my categories below, but I'd encourage you to take a look at the complete list of nominees in every category here. (And just in case you're wondering what the Christy Awards are all about, it just so happens that an article in Book Fun Magazine answers that very question. Click here to visit the May issue, and see the article "What's the Deal with the Christy Awards?" on page 74. Find it easily by searching for "Christy.") My Fellow Finalists [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"889", "attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter wp-image-1536", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"539", "height":"286", "alt":"FirstNovel nominees final"}}]] [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"890", "attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter wp-image-1537", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"538", "height":"286", "alt":"historical nominees final"}}]] Wedded to War is also a finalist for the Golden Scroll Award (fiction category), which will be presented by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association on June 23, AND it is a finalist for the Inspirational Reader's Choice Award (women's fiction category) which will be presented at the Romance Writers of America conference in mid-July. I figure, since I may not actually win any of these, let's go ahead and celebrate now with a give-away! :) The Give-Away! If you've read Wedded to War, you know that before Charlotte Waverly becomes one of the country's first female nurses during the Civil War, she was a privileged young woman living in Victorian-Age New York City. She smelled of rosewater, and drank orange & spice tea every afternoon. Her family's brownstone is full of lovely things, some of which were collected during European excursions. So the Charlotte-inspired give-away includes: A beautiful hand-embroidered linen table covering I personally picked up in Vienna, Austria, several years ago. This piece is about a yard square in size, and is typically placed diagonally on the center of your table, either layered on a full-size tablecloth, or simply placed on the bare table. This one is ivory with maroon and pink flowers. It still has the tag pinned to it--it's never been used! A canister of Tea Forte Sweet Orange & Spice loose leaf tea, enough for between 35 and 50 servings. YUM. Crabtree & Evelyn Rosewater-scented Little Luxuries gift-package. This includes their award-winning ultra-moisturising Hand Therapy, bubbly Bath & Shower Gel and hydrating Body Lotion. [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"891", "attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter wp-image-1539", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"576", "height":"576", "alt":"charlotte inspired giveaway final"}}]] Enter the Drawing Here’s how to enter! Take a look at the three quotes below, all of which are taken from Wedded to War. Now leave a comment telling me which one means the most to you, and why, if you want to share. (If you don’t want to say why, just say which is your favorite.) Click on the image to see them larger. [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"892", "attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter wp-image-1541", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"560", "height":"280", "alt":"Wedded quote collage"}}]] Share this blog post on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or if somehow you have avoided all social media, just send the link to a friend in an email. Share the link to the Wedded to War book trailer on Facebook or Twitter: https://vimeo.com/44766851 Go to my new “Inspiration” photo album on my Facebook author page, and “share” one or more of the photos there. You get one entry for each one you share. Go to my “Inspiring Faith and Courage” album on Pinterest and “repin” one or more of the pins there. Again, one entry for each repin. Like my Facebook author page, or tell me that you’ve already liked it. [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"958", "attributes":{"class":"media-image", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "alt":":)"}}]] Sign up for my e-newsletter (see the footer of my Web site). Send me a photo of you with your copy of Wedded to War, along with your permission to use it on my FB page and on this Web site. You could email it to me (Jocelyn@jocelyngreen.com) or simply post it on my FB author page. Don't forget to tell me in your comments if you have done any of these extras for extra entries! I will draw a winner on Tuesday, June 25! Good luck!

Tags:

Search form