LSLL Blog Tour: WITH THIS RING? Author Interview+giveaway

With THIS Ring?

A Novella Collection of Proposals Gone Awry

by Karen Witemeyer, Mary Connealy, Regina Jennings, and Melissa Jagears

Genre: Inspirational, Romance, Humor

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers

Date of Publication: January 5, 2016; # of pages: 368

Love isn’t always a fairy tale, and it doesn’t always go as planned. Sometimes the best stories, though, are the ones that are the most unexpected. Join Karen Witemeyer, Mary Connealy, Regina Jennings, and Melissa Jagears for novellas that celebrate the power of love to triumph . . . even when circumstances go awry!

The Husband Maneuver

When ranch foreman Daniel Barrett seems ready to leave her life forever, Marietta Hawkins decides to grab the reins on their relationship. But to have any hope of maneuvering him into a proposal, she has to act fast or risk losing him completely.

Her Dearly Unintended

Josiah Huckabee just wanted to make sure Katie Ellen Watson was safe, but when the only bridge to her farm is washed out, the two find themselves alone. Alone, that is, until a menacing stranger appears. Maybe by pretending to be newlyweds, they’ll save their reputations–but can pretending to be in love turn into the real thing?

Runaway Bride

Hired to help Carrie Halsey escape from a dangerous man intent on making her his wife, Big John Conroy never expected the job to interrupt his solitary Texas Ranger life. But now that he’s promised to keep Carrie safe, he discovers he may just want to make a few more promises.

Engaging the Competition

Harrison Gray and tomboy Charlotte Andrews have been rivals for years. With Charlotte intended for someone else, it seems they’ll never settle their differences until an accident changes things completely. When Charlotte breaks Harrison’s glasses–without which he’s nearly blind–she must help with his teaching position, and working together forces these former adversaries to reconsider everything.

PRAISE FOR WITH THIS RING:

“This quartet of authors consistently write with hilarity, warmth, and toe-curling romance. Their individual contributions to this entertaining collection hold true to form. Connealy tips her hat to long-time fans with a grin-inducing reunion and clever word-smithing. Witemeyer’s ingenious story-within-a story adds even more humor and drama to her contribution. Jennings and Jagears perfectly complete the ensemble with witty tales of friendship and breathless kisses.”—RT Book Reviews Top Pick

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SPOTLIGHT: Author Interview: Regina Jennings

How long have you been writing?

I got a degree in English and minored in history because one day I wanted to write historical romances. It was only after fifteen years of raising kids and homeschooling that I finally tried it. My first attempt was in 2010. Since then I’ve had seven books published and four more are under contract.

What kind(s) of writing do you do?

I write inspirational historical romance set in the mid-to-late nineteenth century. My settings have focused on the best part of America – Texas, Oklahoma and the Missouri Ozarks.

What cultural value do you see in writing/reading/storytelling/etc.?

It’s immensely important to tell stories. Stories connect us to other people. They teach cause and effect. They give us empathy for characters that are unlike us. They inspire us to be forgiving, heroic, patient. They challenge us to be courageous and take risks. Stories let us live infinite lives.

What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

How many times have I wanted to smart off to someone, but I knew it wasn’t the right thing to do? Katie Ellen doesn’t have that filter when it comes to Josiah. As her childhood friend, she doesn’t have to watch her mouth around him. As the man who broke her heart, she doesn’t feel compelled to be nice, either. Of course, the consequences of always saying what you think come back to bite her, but it was fun to write regardless.

What are some day jobs that you have held? If any of them impacted your writing, share an example.

The family business is livestock. Pigs, to be more exact. I grew up going to auctions and sale barns and worked for several years behind the scales at the Oklahoma National Stockyards. Of course that experience was instrumental in writing At Love’s Bidding, the precursor to Her Dearly Unintended. And even though this story isn’t set in an auction house, it features characters like those colorful folks that I’ve met at the sales.

If you had a superpower, what would it be?

It would be teleportation. Can you imagine how much fun that would be to just show up anywhere in the world at any time? I’d watch the sunrise in the Caribbean, research at the British Museum all morning, eat lunch on the Champs Elysees, hike for an hour in the Grand Canyon, then come home to write and fix dinner for the family. Best superpower ever!

Karen Witemeyer: Winner of the HOLT Medallion and the Carol Award and a finalist for the RITA and Christy Award, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer writes historical romance to give the world more happily-ever-afters. Karen makes her home in Texas, with her husband and three children. Visit her website or connect with her on Facebook.

Mary Connealy: Mary Connealy writes “romantic comedies with cowboys” and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She has over half a million books sold. She is the author of the popular series Wild at Heart, Kincaid Brides, Trouble in Texas, and many other books. Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero. Visit her website or connect with her on Facebook.

Regina Jennings: Regina Jennings is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in English and a history minor. She is the author of At Love’s Bidding and four other novels, and contributed a novella to A Match Made in Texas. Regina has worked at the Mustang News, along with time at the Oklahoma National Stockyards and various livestock shows. She now lives outside Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma, with her husband and four children. Visit
her website or connect with her on Facebook.

Melissa Jagears: Melissa Jagears, an ESL teacher by trade and the author of A Bride for Keeps, A Bride in Store, and A Bride at Last, is a stay-at-home mother on a tiny Kansas farm with a fixer-upper house. She’s a member of ACFW and CROWN fiction marketing, and her passion is to help Christian believers mature in their faith and judge rightly. Visit her website or connect with her on Facebook.