Land of My Dreams
by Norma Gail
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GENRE: Christian romance
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BLURB:
Alone and betrayed, American professor, Bonny Bryant longs for a haven of peace. She accepts a position at a small Christian college in Fort William, Scotland, craving escape from her painful past. The passionate love which develops when she meets fellow professor and sheep farmer, Kieran MacDonell, is something she never anticipated.
Kieran harbors a deep anger toward God in the face of his own devastating grief. When Bonny’s former fiancé reenters her life, Kieran’s loneliness draws him to a former student.
How will Bonny decide between her rivals? Can they set aside the past to make way for a future, or will it drive them apart?
Land of My Dreams, Christian Romance Novel, spans the distance between New Mexico’s high desert mountains and the misty Scottish Highlands with a timeless story of overwhelming grief, undying love, and compelling faith.
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Excerpt Two:
“Come see this.” Kieran and Bonny stood atop Grant Tower at Urquhart Castle, overlooking Loch Ness. For her, it was a place of poignant memories. He pointed to a rainbow arching from one side of the loch to the other as she moved into the crook of his arm. “Now, down there.”
She stood on tiptoe and looked to where he pointed, at the base of the tower.
“Step onto that ledge and I’ll steady you.”
The warmth of his hands around her waist contrasted with the chill wind. She shivered and leaned close enough to hear the stubble on his chin scratching against her raincoat. “The rainbow enters the water at the foot of the tower. Another fifty feet, and it would form a complete circle. Amazing.”
His arms tightened around her. “No more so than the woman in my arms.”
She kept silent. Did he feel it? What could be more romantic than a rainbow all their own?
“No one else sees it.”
His warm breath tickled her ear, and she leaned against him, wrapped in a sense of wonder and delight. No one even wrote things this perfect. “Just we two.”
Kieran bent over her, his lips touching hers, tentative and searching. She leaned into his arms, her heart leaping in her chest as she allowed her lips to reveal her readiness to move forward. The scent of him was becoming so familiar. The taste of him was even sweeter.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Norma Gail is the author of the contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, and the New Mexico Christian Novelists. Norma is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 40 years. They have two adult children.
Interview with Norma Gail
As a kid did you write or make up stories?
I made up stories all the time. I would even have my sisters and friends play parts in the games we played. They said I was bossy!
Where does most of your Character inspiration come from?
The characters come with the story. Then I will create a character background sheet that fills in personality traits along with a physical description and things that could motivate them. Usually, the story begins to form in my mind and then I will see a person or actor who looks like what I imagined. I want to know them inside and out.
Do some qualities of your characters come from real people?
A few times, I have seen a person who was perfect and written a character description like them. One of the characters in Land of My Dreams came from a woman I saw in the small town grocery store where I shop. I already have two characters in mind for a historical series I want to write that came from real life. I keep files of character descriptions in my computer with other information I need for the story.
What was the inspiration for your book?
Land of My Dreams was inspired by a dream while we were preparing for a trip to Scotland for our 30th wedding anniversary. I saw the character who became Kieran MacDonell, the male protagonist, in my dream. I am married to a Dutch immigrant. For over 40 years, I have watched how his family thinks and does things different from Americans. If you have seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding or the sequel, you can get an idea of what it is like. Immigrants tend to cling to some of their thinking and traditions, sometimes even when they don’t make sense. I got to thinking about how much courage it would take to immigrate alone and as an adult. Could I give up everything I had ever known to live in a different country?
What is your favorite spot to write?
I am pretty spoiled. When we built a new home in the mountains a few years ago, I insisted on having a library. My desk is there and I write surrounded by my books, file cabinets full of research, and when I am thinking historical, I have photos of my ancestors looking down at me. It is quiet and has a lovely view. In the summer, I love to go out on the patio to write.
What advice would you give budding writers?
Learn your craft. I just wrote based on things I had known from school and reading, but many things are different now because of television and internet. People are very vision and action oriented. Learning to write from the point of view of the characters, and the rules for doing it right are necessary. It is important to begin your story in the midst of the action. I had to do a lot of “unlearning” because I am a huge fan of classic literature, even though I love the Christian fiction of today. Go to writer’s conferences and groups and read books on how-to write. It will save a lot of time, rewriting, and rejection.
Connect with Norma:
Book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQbZIoC_JSE
Book Links:
Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas Bookstore: http://store.lpcbooks.com/product/land-of-my-dreams/
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/land-of-my-dreams-norma-gail/1119606864?ean=9781941103173
Land of My Dreams will be either $1.99 during the tour.
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE
Norma Gail will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Thank you for hosting
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting me. I really appreciate the opportunity to connect with your readers!
ReplyDeleteWhat book are you currently reading?
ReplyDeleteThe Gospel According to Job by Mike Mason
DeleteCongrats on the tour and thanks for the chance to win :)
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome! Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteI liked the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for letting me know.
DeleteI have added this book to my TBR list and look forward to reading this book!
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy it!
DeleteGreat post, thanks for sharing the excerpt :)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed it!
DeleteCongrats on the new book and good luck on the book tour!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Ally! I appreciate it!
DeleteI enjoyed reading the excerpt. This book sounds like such an interesting and intriguing read. Looking forward to checking out this book.
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy the book!
DeleteInteresting to read of your inspiration for Land of My Dreams! I completely agree with what you say about immigration clinging to home. I've lived in Ireland for 30-odd years and still don't feel Irish!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking time to comment!
DeleteThis book sounds like something I'd really enjoy reading, thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome!
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