Celebrate 2016: Play Author Trivia Hunt (Day 1)

What better way to end the year than to celebrate our 2016 author guests? For a fun way to do this, we've put together a three-day Author Trivia Hunt.

How much do you know about your favorite authors?  If you need help finding the answers, click on the link to their interview. 

Put your answers in the comments and we'll enter you into a drawing for a $25 Amazon gift card. Answer as many questions as you can to earn more chances. (Don't forget to leave us your email address.)

Let's get started with our first mystery author!

JILL MARIE LANDIS

E.E. Burke has interviewed this author for Get Lost In A Story several times, and she's always drawn a great response from our readers. No wonder. She's a seven-time Romance Writers of America finalist and winner of a RITA Award, and a New York Times bestselling author. 

Jill Marie Landis started out writing historical romance. She now writes humorous mysteries set on the island where she lives with her husband and a spoiled cat. You can visit Jill's world of tiki, hula maidens, and tropical fun at www.thetikigoddess.com.

Her latest book, Hawaii Five Uh-Oh, is the fifth in her Tiki Goddess Mystery series.

What is the name of the island where Jill's mysteries are set?

Click this link to her interview to find the answer. (Scroll down to her interview)

CAROLINE FYFFE

Next up, a USA Today Bestselling author who was born in Waco, Texas, the first of many towns she would call home during her father's career with the US Air Force. A horse aficionado from an early age, Caroline earned a Bachelor of Arts in communications from California State University-Chico before launching what would become a twenty-year career as an equine photographer. 

She began writing fiction to pass the time during long days in the show arena, channeling her love of horses and the Old West into a series of Western historical romances. Her debut novel, Where the Wind Blows, won the Romance Writers of America's prestigious Golden Heart Award as well as the Wisconsin RWA's Write Touch Readers' Award. She and her husband have two grown sons and live in the Pacific Northwest.

This year, Caroline introduced us to Texas Lonesome, the 8th book in a highly popular series. What is the name of that series?

Click this link to her interview to find the answer. (Scroll down to her interview)

MARY JO PUTNEY

Regan Walker interviewed this NY Times bestselling author as a part of the Best of the Regency series of posts. Mary Jo was born in upstate New York with a reading addiction, a condition with no known cure.  Her entire writing career is an accidental byproduct of buying a computer for other purposes.  Most of her books contain history, romance, and cats.  She has had ten RWA RITA nominations, two RITA wins, RWA's 2013 Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award, and she's so distractible that she’s amazed that she ever finishes a book. 

What turns off Regency author Mary Jo Putney like nothing else?

Click this link to find her answer! (Scroll down through her interview)

CHERYL BOLEN

Regan also interviewed this NY Times bestselling author as a part of the Best of the Regency series of posts. Cheryl is the author of more than twenty novels, including some great Regencies! She has been in the top five on the New York Times bestselling list and is also a USA Today bestselling author. Her novel One Golden Ring won Best Historical for the Holt Medallion and her novel My Lord Wicked won Best Historical in the International Digital Awards, the same year her Christmas novella was Best Novella. Her books have been translated into a dozen languages.

What is Regency author Cheryl Bolen's favorite movie of all time? 

Click this link to find her answer! (Scroll down to her interview)

CALLIE HUTTON

Another of Regan's Regency author interviews... Callie Hutton, USA Today bestselling author of both Western Historical and Regency romances with “historic elements and sensory details” (The Romance Reviews). She lives in Oklahoma with several rescue dogs, two adult children, a daughter-in-law, twin grandsons and her top cheerleader husband (although thankfully not all in the same home!). Living in the Midwest provides plenty of opportunities for Callie to pursue her interests: researching history, meeting readers, spending time with her adorable two year old twin grandsons, and discovering new adventures.

Where would Callie Hutton travel to in the past, if given the chance?

  

Click this link to find her answer! (Scroll down to her interview)

To enter the drawing, leave your answers in the comments. 

A winner for the $25 Amazon Gift Card will be randomly selected from all comments Dec. 28 through Dec. 30. The more questions you answer, the more chances you'll get!

THE WINNER OF THE $25 AMAZON GIFT CARD IS:

JUDY TUCKER! 

CONGRATULATIONS JUDY!

Thank you to everyone who played our trivia game. We hope you'll join us in 2017 for more great author interviews and stories to get lost in.

Get Lost on Facebook   @GetLostInAStory  #GetLostStories

AND OUR NEW Facebook Group: The Readers’ Spot

E.E. Burke's Best of the West: Dance With Destiny from Becky Lower

It's my great pleasure to welcome back bestselling author Becky Lower to Get Lost In A Story. Today she shares with us a book that was inspired by a family legend. Read on to find out more...

William Myers feels it’s his duty to answer the call to fight for the Union Army—but his wife, Susannah, doesn’t agree. How does he expect her to survive with four small children in the cold Ohio winter during the three-month enlistment period? Angry and abandoned, Susannah learns soon after William leaves that she is also pregnant again. 

Raoul Lafontaine is a half-Ojibwa, half-French-Canadian drifter who is more Indian than white. Also known as Lone Wolf, he has recently left the Ojibwa village in search of a fair-haired woman both he and his grandfather have seen in visions. She is important to him—but how? He will never allow himself to care for another—not after losing the wife he loved so much.

But Raoul could not have planned for the sizzling emotions that surface when he comes near Susannah, nor the love he feels for her children. When he realizes that Susannah returns his feelings, he knows he must leave—for how can he stay close by knowing she can never be his? William will return to his homestead, and they’ll once again be a family. One in which Raoul has no place. Or does he? Will Fate relent and grant the love between Susannah and Raoul in this DANCE WITH DESTINY?

Ohio Hill Country, April, 1861

     "You can't leave me! Leave us! How will we ever survive? We are only good if we can face our hardships together.” Susannah Myers pummeled her husband's shoulders as her lips pressed together in a tight line. “Running off to war and leaving me alone to care for our four little ones is not right. I can’t do this on my own."

    William took hold of her hands and stilled them. He kissed her callused fingers and then grazed her lips. She stopped fighting him and laid her head on her husband’s broad shoulder, letting her hot tears fall. 

    "It'll only be for a few months, Susannah. Summer’s coming on, so it won’t be so hard for you to get by. There are plenty of chickens for food and eggs, I’ve stocked the smoke house with deer, and Jacob can start on the planting, so you’ll have potatoes and fresh vegetables. I have no choice in the matter as to whether I stay or go. I have to volunteer. Every able-bodied man in southern Ohio is being asked to do his part. Daniel was out here just the other day to make sure I'd sign up." 

    Susannah straightened up and took a deep breath. She moved away from him, trying to distance herself from her feelings of abandonment. "Four children, William, and the oldest of them only nine years old. Is volunteering for service worth it when, by leaving, you’re putting the lives of your children in jeopardy?”

    He spread his hands wide. "Of course, if I had any say in the matter, I’d want to be right here, with my woman and my babies. But, it's my duty to serve. And I swear it will only be for a couple months. I've only signed on for ninety days. After that, I'll be home. Don't worry. I'll just be gone for the summer. All we're doing is guarding the nation's capital until the southerners are subdued. We won't be anywhere near the battle zone. I'll be home before you know I'm gone."

    Susannah faced him again, trying once more to make him see reason. "I’ll miss you the minute you leave, William. The ache in my heart is already there. What I don’t understand is why you feel this need to serve. We don't even own any slaves. Why must you fight these battles? It doesn't affect us."

    "The government is trying to keep the country from splitting into two parts. We must prevent that at all costs. Our ancestors came from Germany to southern Ohio to find a new way of life in this great country, and so far, it’s worked well for us, even though it’s a hard struggle each year. But if the nation splits into two, it will never be the mighty force it should be." 

    Susannah sighed, fully aware her protests were falling on deaf ears. "Promise me, then. By the time the first snow comes, and you know it comes early here in the hills, you'll be home."

Amazon best-selling author Becky Lower has traveled the country looking for great settings for her novels. She loves to write about two people finding each other and falling in love, amid the backdrop of a great setting, be it on a covered wagon headed west or in present day small town America.  Historical and contemporary romances are her specialty. Becky is a PAN member of RWA and is a member of the Historic and Contemporary RWA chapters. She has a degree in English and Journalism from Bowling Green State University, and lives in an eclectic college town in Ohio with her puppy-mill rescue dog, Mary. She loves to hear from her readers at beckylowerauthor@gmail.com.

Visit her website atwww.beckylowerauthor.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/becky.lower

Twitter: http://twitter.com/BeckyLower1

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/authorbeckyl/

Blog: http://beckylowerauthor.blogspot.com

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6159227.Becky_Lower

G+: https://plus.google.com/103332938863838564766

Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/Becky-Lower/e/B008DTC15C/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1480527074&sr=1-2-ent

E.E.: What are the next five books on your ‘to be read’ pile?

Becky: I’m eagerly awaiting my allocated RITA entries. Last year I had seven books to read, all genres and sizes, self-published and traditional. Can’t wait to see what I get this year.

E.E.: What drew you to write in the genre(s) you do?

Becky: I love history, even though I don’t like the way it’s taught, with the memorization of dates and battles. If you tell me about the people who lived through the significant events and how it affected their lives, I’m much more invested in it. That’s why I enjoy writing historical romances. I try to alternate between the past and the present, though, by writing contemporaries, too. I find the change from historical to contemporary to be a palate cleanser for my mind.

E.E.: What has surprised you the most about being published? 

How hard it is to stand out in this crowded marketplace. Some of the best writers never get discovered. There’s a large amount of luck involved.

E.E.: How did you come up with the idea for your book? 

Becky: Dance With Destiny is truly a book of my heart. Susannah Myers is my great-great grandmother, and her daughter, Missouria Belle, who is born in this story, is my great-grandmother. Our entire family grew up thinking there was an Indian in our past and that Missouria was ½ Indian. I began corresponding with people, cousins, really, who I’d never met. They all had heard the same story, but no one could ever find a link. When DNA testing became commonplace, I had mine tested, only to find not one drop of Indian blood. So how did the story evolve? If so many cousins heard the same story, there must be a kernel of truth to it, right? My writer’s mind went into overdrive. Dance With Destiny is one possible answer to the family tree puzzle.

E.E.: What’s the first thing you do when you finish writing a book?

Becky: Take a day off and do something with my sister, like the movies or lunch at a restaurant.

E.E.: If you were given a chance to travel to the past where would you go?

Becky: I’d love to travel back to America in the early 1800s. I want to talk to the mountain men who trapped beaver, who dealt with Indians on a daily basis and hear their stories.

E.E.: Do you read reviews of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to them, or let them influence your writing?

Becky: I do read my reviews. I take them with a grain of salt, but every now and then, I find a really good point about a character or a scene in my books. And yes, it influences my writing in the future, since I feel that you can never be perfect and always must strive to keep learning your craft.

E.E.: What sound or noise do you love?

Becky: I love the little sigh my puppy-mill rescue dog, Mary, makes when she settles in next to me in my chair. Her first five years were a nightmare and even though I’ve had her for seven years now, she’s still not a normal dog and is always on guard. She has a few places in the house that are “safe,” so I wait until she’s in one of her safe places to pick her up and bring her to the chair, since she doesn’t know how to jump up by herself. But the difficulty is worth it when I hear that little noise of contentment. I’m trying to give her good memories to make up for five years of abuse.

E.E.: Who’s your book boyfriend?

Becky: I always thought this concept was ridiculous. That is, before I wrote Dance With Destiny and my latest contemporary, Sweet Caroline. Raoul is one of the sexiest men I’d ever written. I love how he interacted with Susannah’s children, and how he loved Susannah enough to let her go. Grant is my hero in Sweet Caroline. He is multicultural, and has been tormented as a result until he grew bigger than everyone else. He’s now a high school history teacher and basketball coach but can’t ever forget the girl he made cry when they were fifteen. I finished the story weeks before it was due, but I couldn’t bear the thought of going a day without fiddling with the story and spending time with Grant. I hung onto the manuscript far longer than was necessary.

Today, Becky is giving away three copies of Dance With Destiny. Just leave a comment and enter the raffle.

Would you like to write a book featuring characters from your family tree? Who and why?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Crew's Christmas Cards for You

HAVE YOURSELF A 

MERRY, SAFE & PEACEFUL CHRISTMAS

HO!  HO!  HO! 

Peace. Joy. Love.

Jillian Stone

Merry Christmas and happy holidays. 
Let's make more great memories next year!

E.E. BURKE

Wishing you all a happy and safe holiday!

Lara Lacombe

Have very happy holidays everyone!

Stay safe, give hugs, eat cookies, watch out, don't pout,

open presents, and share the spirit of the season.

BE THE LOVE!

XOXO from,

  

May your holidays be as bright as the Christmas star. (And may someone else shovel your snow!)

Nan Dixon

IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE THING (big or small) WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Be sure to stop by for our 2016 Trivia Quiz December 28th through 30th. (PSSTT...There will be giveaways...)

Get Lost in a Story's Last Minute Gift Guide & Giveaway

You're down to the last few shopping days and your gift list still has names on it—names that remain unchecked or crossed out. Feeling stressed? A little panicky? 

No worries, GLAIS readers. Sit back, have another hot spiced cider and chill, we've got this!  The solution? Ebooks, and we have them galore! 

Zombies, military action, red-hot romance...

EAT, SLAY, LUZT 

Jillian Stone


Survival tip #1: When you’re caught in the middle of the zombie apocalypse, get a badass partner. 

"I've always wanted to write an action-packed zombie book filled with humor, horror, and of course—a red hot romance! My latest release is a sexy wild ride of a novel that takes you straight into the heart of the zombie apocalypse." —Jillian 

EAT, SLAY, LUZT by Jillian Stone 
Special holiday price $2.99  http://amzn.to/2i4NhJI

@gJillianStone #LastMinuteGiftIdeas

For the girl who loves sexy comedy...

WANTING MR WRONG
by Avril Tremayne

A story about a girl who refuses to fall for the man the whole world is in love with.

Evie knows what she doesn't want; Jack knows what he does. And somewhere in the middle, pheromones are making things go haywire every time they're together.

Laughs, love and steam - a perfect way to end the year
A fast-paced romp to a happy-ever-after

Love at it's funny, frantic best

WANTING MR WRONG by Avril Tremayne
#sexy #RomCom 
Only $2.99 - http://amzn.to/2hCr0WH
@Avril_Tremayne
#LastMinuteGiftIdea

Warm, witty Christmas romance...

AN AMERICAN MAIL-ORDER BRIDE CHRISTMAS COLLECTION

by E.E. Burke

Your bookworm buddy can curl up next to the fire and dive into this warm, witty adventure into Christmas past with two mail-order brides. Includes Victoria, Bride of Kansas and Santa's Mail-Order Bride, plus a short story, The Christmas Wish. This #1 Amazon bestselling collection is only 99 cents until Dec. 23

Auntie's cup of tea? 

For a forlorn friend who needs a pick-me-up? 
Your sister will love it.

AMERICAN MAIL-ORDER BRIDE CHRISTMAS COLLECTION by E.E. Burke
On sale for 99 cents through 12/23: http://amzn.to/2i574Jk

@author_eeburke
#LastMinuteEbookGiftGuide 

She'll get swept away in Medieval romance...

KING'S KNIGHT

by Regan Walker

Curl up with a knight in this “... tantalizing and intriguing tale of medieval chivalry, intrigue, passion, duty, honor and romance.”

Dive into Medieval England for an adventure with Sir Alexander of Talisand and Merewyn of York.

A story for every woman who has ever believed she was unworthy of her dream. 

Only $2.99 on Amazon, or FREE with Kindle Unlimited on Amazon.

He seized life by the throat!
US: http://ow.ly/jrsb305IDNl 
@RegansReview
#LastMinuteGiftIdea

Snuggle with a cowboy...

LOST AND FOUND
by Amanda McIntyre

FATE gives first love a second chance in a romantic story where..."The sparks of passion between them is so hot it is a good thing it is a snowy New Year's in Colorado!"

New Year's Eve is about to get a interesting at the Diamond Double J Ranch in Colorado. Ten years ago, a failed spring break affair leaves Chicago girl, Anna Worthington and Texas boy, Cole Tanner convinced that love at first sight isn't possible. Now, a decade later, fate brings them together--with a few other surprises in store--with the challenge that sometimes a second chance is all the heart needs.

LOST AND FOUND

 Just $2.99 at AMAZON  Free with KU

@AmandaMcIntyre1

#LastMinuteGiftIdea #snugglewithacowboy

Against all odds love survives...

PROTECTING HIS BROTHER'S BRIDE
by Jan Schliesman

Insurance Investigator Kira Kincaid will go to any lengths to clear her name—even team up with Dalton Matthews, her estranged…now deceased…husband's brother. But the reclusive mogul isn't what she expected—he's the quintessential alpha male who evokes an unwelcome yearning. 

Dalton is determined to protect the headstrong widow, even as he plans to walk away once she's safe. If only her green-eyed gaze didn't melt all of his emotional defenses. But when their mission exposes an earth-shattering family secret from both their pasts, Dalton must choose between his brother's betrayal and the one woman he should deny. 

Protecting His Brother's Bride
Only $3.99 on Amazon..Buy it here!
@janschliesman
#LastMinuteGiftIdea #happilyeverafter

Danger doesn't take a holiday...

DR. DO OR DIE
By Lara Lacombe

Two doctors are on thin ice as they race to save the world from a deadly disease. 

Epidemic researcher Dr. Avery Thatcher has studied countless illnesses…but nothing prepares her for what she finds at a remote Antarctic base: the man she never wanted to see again and a mysterious ailment ravaging inhabitants. Avery will do whatever it takes to discover the illness's cause, and she vows to keep her heartbreaking history with Dr. Grant Jones in the past—even if reignited passion brings them dangerously close.  

For Grant, ending this outbreak and regaining Avery's trust are vital. As their hunt to contain a lethal pathogen escalates, he'll put everything on the line to avert disaster. But will another insidious threat stop them both cold?

Dr. Do Or Die by @LaraLacombe

Find it here!
#LastMinuteGiftIdea

Love can heal them body and heart--if they'll let it...

THE BRIDE WORE STARLIGHT
By Lizbeth Selvig

Former beauty queen Joely Crockett has spent her life in the public eye, but, now, scarred and wheelchair-bound after an accident, she's mortified at the thought of being seen. Joely has lost more than the ability to walk—she’s lost her fire. But when a  handsome, arrogant cowboy accuses her of milking her injuries, he ignites her ire, and Joely finally feels sparks of her old self return.

Alec Morrissey knows about loss. A champion rodeo bronc rider before he was injured in Iraq, he’s managed to create something of a normal life, even if it’s not the one he always imagined. In stunning but damaged Joely, he finds a kindred spirit who can learn from his mistakes. But Alec has his own buried wounds to heal

As the pair begins to fall in love under the Wyoming stars, they must discover if they're going to give in to tragedy or fight for a future together.

The Bride Wore Starlight
Available at Amazon, B&N and all e-book retailers
@lizbethselvig
#LastMinuteGiftIdea #7Brides7Cowboys  


Texans, Shotguns & Serial Killers for a long winter night

SHOTGUN JUSTICE
by Angi Morgan

Book 2 of TEXAS RANGERS: ELITE TROOP

As a Texas Ranger, it was Jesse Ryder's duty to protect her. As a man, it was all he could do to avoid the temptation of Avery Travis. The Snake Eyes Killer was on Avery's trail, but the independent deputy didn't want Jesse's help. And he couldn't blame her; he had walked away from her the night she'd offered him everything.  

Avery knew Jesse would always think of her as his best friend's little sister. However, she was fully capable of taking care of herself…and knowing what and who she wanted. Their lives might be in jeopardy, but the true tragedy would be to never have one more chance with the sexy Ranger. 

available    excerpt

SHOTGUN JUSTICE #WhiteHatHeroes 
http://bit.ly/FollowAngi 
#LastMinuteGiftIdea @AngiMorganAuthr 
@HarlequinBooks 

Like what you see? Help us spread the word about our gift guide and earn chances to win a Kindle ereader (US Only) or eBooks from Get Lost In A Story authors (will deliver internationally).

Enter our drawing by using the Rafflecopter below so we can ensure you get credited with your SWEET TWEETS and POSTS to earn points in the drawing.

Prizes:

Kindle eReader (US Only)

eBooks from GLIAS authors

Don't delay in picking up those last minute gifts and helping us spread the word. 

We'll announce the winner here on Dec. 24

a Rafflecopter giveaway