My Blog's 10th Year Birthday Bash: Kate Battistelli's book giveaway

Welcome to the 18th day of my blog's birthday bash!

Please welcome my author friend Kate Battistelli.

She's here to give away one copy of her book!

Enter the book giveaway contest via the Rafflecopter widget the end of this blog post. Only residents of the USA are eligible to receive a signed paperback copy of this author's books. International residents will only receive ebook copies due to costs of mailing books outside of the USA.

Let's learn a little bit more about Kate and her book ...

Author Bio:

Kate Battistelli, happily married to her best friend for 37 years, is mom to GRAMMY award-winning recording artist Francesca Battistelli and is blessed to be Mimi to Francesca’s 5 children. 

She’s a former Broadway actress and the author of The God Dare and Growing Great Kids. 

She represents one-third of the Mom to Mom podcast trio, whose goal is to equip every generation of moms with grace, encouragement, and honesty. 

Kate loves to cook and blogs about food and faith at www.KateBattistelli.com. 

Because of her heart for the broken and bruised, you can find her mentoring and encouraging women of all ages, either on her front porch, in her small group, or on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook.

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Back Cover Blurb for Kate's book:

The God Dare. Where will you hear it? . . .

Deep down inside, you know you’re on this planet for a reason. God has a plan in mind just for you. In fact, He chose you for His plan before the foundation of the world. He designed you very specifically for this time and this place, and He’s perfectly equipped you to accomplish His purpose in the earth.

Through engaging and memorable true stories—both biblical and modern—author Kate Battistelli challenges and encourages you to discover how God has specifically designed you for this time in history, your place in the world, your role in His cosmic plan. Once and for all, let go of your fear, worry, pride and strife. . .

All God ever needs is a willing vessel. Will you say yes?

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Enter this book giveaway contest for your chance to WIN a copy of this book by filling out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget below:

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Interview with Kate Battistelli, author of "The God Dare"

Welcome Kate Battistelli to the blog!

She's here today to talk about her new nonfiction book, The God Dare. 

Here's the glorious cover of her book:

Here is the official blurb for Kate's book which you can buy online and in bookstores:

The God Dare. Where will you hear it? 

Deep down inside, you know you’re on this planet for a reason. God has a plan in mind just for you. In fact, He chose you for His plan before the foundation of the world. He designed you very specifically for this time and this place, and He’s perfectly equipped you to accomplish His purpose in the earth.

Through engaging and memorable true stories—both biblical and modern—author Kate Battistelli challenges and encourages you to discover how God has specifically designed you for this time in history, your place in the world, your role in His cosmic plan. Once and for all, let go of your fear, worry, pride and strife. . .

All God ever needs is a willing vessel. Will you say yes?

~*~

Interview with Kate Battistelli about her NEW book, The God Dare: Will You Choose to Believe the Impossible?

Alexis: What’s the story behind your book’s captivating, bold title?

Kate: Several years ago, God dared me to write my first book and I wasn’t a writer! Here’s how it happened: We had homeschooled our daughter Francesca with a large homeschooling group in Orlando where we lived at the time.

They were getting ready to celebrate their 20th anniversary and asked my husband Mike and I to come speak about what we did to raise our daughter in a way that helped her to find her purpose. By this time, she’d already signed her record deal and her songs were getting lots of airplay. We said “Yes” and came up with 15 intentional things we’d done to raise Francesca to find her destiny in God.

We gave our talk and the next day, I was praying and thanking God for those 15 things and that’s when I heard God speak in my spirit these terrifying words: “Those are book chapters.”

I reminded God that I wasn’t a writer, had no platform or college degree and no way to get it published but I kept hearing Him repeat, “Those are book chapters.” So I found a friend who was a writing coach and showed her my idea and she helped me get the book written and published. I realized God was triple-dog-daring me to step out and do something that made no sense at the time. But it makes total sense now!

Alexis: How did God first place this book as a dream on your heart and how much time did it take to bring that vision to fruition?

Kate: The God Dare started as a simple blog post and a dear friend mentioned I should consider turning it into a book. I began writing it eight years ago and it took a while to get it finished as God had a bit more growing for me to do before He was ready to put it out into the world!

Alexis: You really poured your heart out in this book. Did you find it difficult to be this open and honest with your readers? Why or why not?

Kate: At first, I was terrified to share all of my story in the book. But just last summer, God dared me to put the ugly parts of my past, like having an abortion at age 18, into the book.

It was hard but it’s an issue one out of three women deal with so it’s worth it if my story can give courage to another woman to stop allowing guilt and shame to hold her back and haunt her life. There’s great freedom in exposing our ugly truth and finding freedom in repentance and God’s forgiveness.

Alexis: What is “The God Dare” and how can a person learn to hear it?

Kate: A “God Dare” is that crazy, impossible dream or wild adventure that God is inviting you to join. You know you aren’t equipped but if God calls you to it, He’ll equip you to do it. If you believe God is daring you, typically it will be scary and make you move out of your comfort zone. The best way to hear it is to pray and ask God for confirmation that it’s really Him. Ask a few mature Christians or your pastor to pray with you that God will make it crystal clear. 

Alexis: What life lessons are you hoping that your readers will glean from the content of this book?

Kate: I’m hopeful that folks will realize they are on this planet for a reason, not just to take up space. I believe each of us is here to change the world but we have to choose to be chosen. We can say no if we want to but it’s so much more exciting to bungee-jump into the future with God!

Alexis: Why do you tell your readers that God has a plan made just for them? How can you prove that to those who might read this and still be doubtful?

Kate: If they’re doubtful, they simply need to ask Him. God’s Word (The Holy Bible) says in Hebrews 11:6 (KJV) that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. If you seek Him with all your heart, He will answer you and guide you. But you have to be willing to step out.

Alexis: How has your own faith journey with God impacted the way that you wrote this book?

Kate: The more I’ve gotten to know Him, the more I knew these were the life lessons He was teaching me and He made it quite clear I was to put it all in a book.

Alexis: Did you have a mentor or support system helping you as you wrote this book? If so, how did they assist in birthing your book baby?

Kate: I had some dear friends who would pray for me, a writer’s group at my church and of course my husband and daughter.

Alexis: How has your illustrious background in theater prepared you for writing this book? Share a few insights into your career and passion for Jesus Christ.

Kate: Well, a theatre career is quite different from writing but it prepared me to do it afraid. I learned early on in my theatre career that you aren’t always ready for what life throws at you. I went out as the understudy to the leading lady in the Broadway National Tour of The King and I starring Yul Brynner, a huge star in those days, and took over the lead when the leading lady got sick and left the show. This was in 1981 and I was only 26 at the time and I didn’t know the Lord but He began wooing me even then.

Alexis: What do you believe is your unique role in God’s cosmic plan?

Kate: I believe I’m here to nudge and remind people that they have a purpose and that their lives aren’t random but they are here to change the world. They will have to choose when God dares them but if they say yes to God, they will change the world!

Alexis: What memorable truths has God whispered to your heart as you’ve moved forward in your faith walk with Him?

Kate: I’ll give you a few of my God Dare Secrets:

· The impossible is God’s comfort zone.

· To believe the impossible we must see the invisible.

· We choose whether or not to be chosen to change the world.

· God’s faithfulness will always outlast your failure.

· God sees you according to your destiny, not your history.

· God didn’t bring you this far to only take you this far.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Kate! Would you like to share closing comments?

Kate: Be bold, step out and don’t be afraid to live like Jesus Christ. He gives the greatest God Dare of all when He says, “Follow Me.” God doesn’t call the qualified or the worthy, He calls the willing. He calls the ones who will hear and obey. Lots of small acts of obedience add up to a big, impactful life!

~*~
Author Bio:

Kate Battistelli is the author of The God Dare and Growing Great Kids:Partner with God to Cultivate His Purpose in Your Child’s Life.

She is Mom to Grammy Award-winning artist Francesca Battistelli and Mimi to her four children. 

Kate has been married to Mike for 36 years. 

She blogs about faith and food at www.KateBattistelli.com. You can follow Kate on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook.

Interview with Candee Fick, author of Dance Over Me

Please welcome Candee Fick to the blog today! Candee is the author of Catch of a Lifetime which is available now. 

Today, she's here to talk about her new novel, Dance Over Me, which is releasing today AND she's giving away one e-book copy of her book, for your Kindle! Enter the book giveaway contest by filling out the Rafflecopter widget below. Then proceed to read the interview with this super talented author! :) 

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Interview with Candee:

Alexis: Danielle Lefontaine is a strong, unique and powerful name. How did you think of it? Tell us about the woman behind the name. What does she look like? What are her flaws? Her strengths?

Candee: I picked this name for my character for the strength and bit of elegance it implies, but also because it contrasts with her birth name (and nickname) of Dani Barker. She’s a survivor with a persistent streak to find and be reunited with her baby brother, but after her experiences in foster care, she’s also afraid to rock the boat. When bullied, Dani won’t stand up for herself because she still doesn’t want to get pegged as the troublemaker and find herself looking for a new home. Yet, despite her longing for a place to belong, Dani’s an extremely talented dancer and singer. Her talent makes her stand out in the crowd while her straight brown hair and brown eyes help her blend in.

Alexis: Danielle seems like a captivating character. Describe the research that you did to write this book. Did you visit New York and watch a show on Broadway?

Candee: Since her birth mom’s favorite song was “The Lullaby of Broadway,” Dani always felt a pull toward that direction that was solidified once she started dance lessons. However, she’s never been to New York or Broadway…and neither have I. Yet many of the plays performed on local stages were once on Broadway so I found it an interesting twist to bring the big stage to the local setting. There are two plays performed during the time period of Dance Over Me and I watched both of them in person at a local dinner theater in addition to countless YouTube videos and a looping soundtrack in the background when writing.

Alexis: What role does Danielle’s long-lost brother play in this story? What’s the significance?

Candee: Her long-lost brother is a symbol of sorts of her longing to belong somewhere. She once had a happy, loving family and yearns to regain that emotional stability and connection again. So while she’s looking for her brother, she’s also discovering that ideal stability and connection in her personal relationship with God and then with the hero and his family. Often the very thing we think will fill the gaping hole in our heart or bring satisfaction doesn’t. Dani also feels a sense of unfinished business since she had promised her dad to always look out for her brother but circumstances made it impossible to do that. She’ll need to trust that God has been watching over them all along and working behind the scenes.

Alexis: What is it about Danielle that makes a cast member jealous?

Candee: Did I mention that Dani’s got talent? Well, during the audition, the company diva’s boyfriend not only complimented Dani on her fancy footwork but seemed to flirt with her while reading dialogue from a scene. The diva not only feels her position as star could be threatened but makes it a personal mission to keep the boyfriend’s attention. But remember, Dani doesn’t like to rock the boat and wants to fade into the background…which could make it seem like she’s hiding something.

Alexis: The hero in your story is Alex Sheridan, also a strong name! What was your inspiration behind creating this character? What’s he like personality-wise? Briefly detail his strengths, weaknesses, and character flaws.

Candee: Alex represents stability with a solid family around him as well the family-owned business where he gets to use his musical talent and marketing education. He’s got a fun sense of humor, dimples, a lock of hair that keeps falling over his forehead, and an unwavering dedication to those he loves. He’s living his dream and now wants someone to share it with. Perfect, right? Except that he’s afraid to take a risk with his heart. He’s torn between wanting a life partner who loves the theater and fearing that the bright lights of the stage will steal her away. Mostly because he can’t imagine ever leaving home.

Alexis: Where is the dinner theater that Alex helps his family run, located? Why did you as the author, choose that kind of backdrop?

Candee: Like I mentioned before, a dinner theater was a fun way to bring a taste of the big stage of Broadway to a smaller town setting. It’s almost a juxtaposition between our big dreams of glory and our need for a safe place of security. This particular fictional theater is located in Fort Collins, Colorado about an hour north of Denver and is loosely based on a compilation of three semi-local dinner theaters. While I wanted the freedom to invent my own layout of the facility for the story purposes, I also wanted to create a place where other theater-goers from other states could feel at home.

Alexis: What is it about Danielle that captivates Alex?

Candee: Alex recognizes talent and a similar sense of humor, but is captivated when he catches a glimpse of Dani’s heart for God on the day he arrives early for a rehearsal. In that moment, he realizes that she performs for the love of the dance and to use God’s gifts rather than a desire for fame or notoriety. There is nothing more beautiful than humility and Alex knows he’s found the other half of his heart.

Alexis: What is it about Alex that makes Danielle’s care about him?

Candee: While her first impression is that he’s cute…and tall, she’s also skittish because he is the Director’s son and she doesn’t want it to appear to others (like the already-jealous diva) that she’s trying to get on the Director’s good side through his family. However, as Dani spends more time bantering with Alex during rehearsals and she sees him interact with his grandmother and cousin, the fear fades. And then she catches a glimpse of his faith in God which seals the deal. Alex is the total package.

Alexis: Why does the glamour of the stage captivate Danielle’s heart? How did show business become her passion?

Candee: The first seed was planted by her birth mom singing about Broadway and then nurtured through learning to dance. But show business became her passion in high school during a drama class when she first stepped into the life of someone else on stage. After foster care and years of trying to find a place to belong, it was refreshing to walk in someone else’s shoes for a change. She found her niche in musical theater because she could also use her love for music and dance. She also loves the way she can help audience members leave behind their own cares for a few hours during a show.

Alexis: What were the most challenging aspects of writing this book? And what was the most rewarding?

Candee: The most challenging part was making the tap dance parts seem real since I haven’t received any formal training in dance. However, I had been part of several shows including large-scale Passion Plays so I drew on that theater experience to bridge the gaps. The most fun part of writing this book was the banter between Dani and Alex because those two could really get going faster than my fingers could fly. But the most rewarding part was weaving in Dani’s faith journey and the realization that God was her true stability and had been working behind the scenes of her life.

Alexis: What do you want readers to remember about Dance Over Me?

Candee: The title came from a song, “Amazed,” by Phillips Craig and Dean that mentions how God dances over us while we are unaware and goes on to say how amazed we are at God’s love. I want readers to feel a similar amazement at how God works behind the scenes in our lives and to recapture that sense of awe at the depth of His love as illustrated by Dani’s story and her relationship with Alex.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Candee! Any closing thoughts?

Candee: Thanks for having me today! It’s been a lot of fun talking about Dani’s journey. The good news is that there’s more to come from The Wardrobe Dinner Theatre. I’m working on the sequel right now and already plotting how to redeem the diva in book three. Folks can sign up for my newsletter at www.CandeeFick.com and get updates about future books.

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Author bio: 

Candee Fick is the wife of a high school football coach and the mother of three children, including a daughter with a rare genetic syndrome. When not busy with her day job or writing, she can be found cheering on the home team at football, basketball, baseball, and Special Olympics games. In what little free time remains, she enjoys exploring the great Colorado outdoors, indulging in dark chocolate, and savoring happily-ever-after endings through a good book.

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Book blurb: 

Danielle Lefontaine, a fledgling actress raised to the lullaby of Broadway, searches for her long-lost brother and her place on the stage, but a jealous cast member and numerous fruitless leads threaten to drop the curtain on her dreams and shine a spotlight on her longing for a place to belong. Meanwhile, Alex Sheridan is living his dream except for someone to share it with. When Dani dances into his life, he hopes he’s found the missing piece to his heart but fears the bright lights of a bigger stage could steal her away. Will the rhythm of dancing feet usher in their deepest desires or leave them stranded in the wings?

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Connect with Candee:

Website - www.CandeeFick.com
Twitter - https://twitter.com/CandeeFick
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Author.Candee.Fick
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/CandeeFick/
GoodReads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/702901.Candee_Fick
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+CandeeFick

True Love Stories: An Unlikely Romance

"For the First Time," a sweet song Jane performs when she realizes she's in love with the wild and wonderful man named Tarzan, is what comes to mind when I think of today's true love story.

Tarzan, the musical, opened on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York on May 10, 2006. However, about four years prior to this play premiering on Broadway, God was moving behind the scenes to orchestrate a theatre-worthy real-life romance that was as swoon worthy as it was unlikely.

"An Unlikely Romance" is the true love story of Brandy and Jeff Bruce. It's a beautiful testimony of what can happen when you let God write your love story. Brandy and Jeff will celebrate their 12-year wedding anniversary tomorrow! So after you read their story, be sure to congratulate Mr. & Mrs. Bruce in your comments. 

Enjoy!

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An Unlikely Romance
Brandy Bruce’s true love story

We met in the alley between our jobs.

Not the most romantic beginning, I know, but there it is. Jeff worked at a furniture store in downtown Conroe, Texas and I had just started working at a title company. Every evening at five o’clock I drove down the alley, past the furniture store. After a couple of weeks, I started to notice one of the delivery guys outside around five o’clock every day, inconspicuously sweeping the dirt.

Now if Jeff were telling this story, he’d probably pause here to include my dad.

For the first couple of weeks, Jeff thought I was dating my dad. It’s true. My dad was a patrolman for Conroe P.D. and the police station was right by the title company. So he’d stop by to see me, sometimes bringing flowers (specifically on my birthday) or donuts (my dad is awesome like that). So Jeff saw this 6’3” guy in uniform (carrying a gun) visiting me. What was he to do? Well, he could always have his boss call the director of the title company to see if his new employee was dating that cop who kept stopping by. Because that wouldn’t be strange at all, right? Yep, that’s what he did. Next thing I know, Jeff is stopping me in the alley after work and asking if I’d like to have lunch sometime.

We found out that we had mutual friends at this point, which you would think would be helpful in getting to know each other. But you’d be wrong. My friend Colleen was dating Jeff’s BFF Larry. At first Colleen told me she didn’t really think Jeff would be a good person for me to date. THEN she changed her story and said that Jeff would be a great person for me to date! I finally decided that a lunch date was pretty harmless. So I told Jeff I’d meet him for lunch.

Jeff is a pretty quiet guy. But not on that first date. Over chicken tenders and honey mustard sauce, I listened to this guy tell me his life story. I realized that our backgrounds were fairly different. I’d grown up in a very strong Christian home. Church, faith and a loving, peaceful family had made up my childhood experience. Jeff’s parents divorced when he was fourteen and he’d experienced a lot of things that I hadn’t. I just listened as he told me that he had made some major changes in his life recently and was now going to church with his friend Larry. (Also the church I attended! It’s a big church.)

I appreciated his openness and his honesty so much and I was shocked by how much I enjoyed our conversation. Then I had to leave the restaurant to make it to my orthodontist appointment on time (did I mention that I was just a young thing of 19 and Jeff was 22?). On the way to my appointment, I couldn’t stop smiling. I really liked this guy. So we kept dating. He met my family. I met his dad and his sister Jamie. Christmas came and Jeff ended up spending the holiday with my family. Everyone liked him, and I was crazy about him. I was leaving for college in Virginia in January, so we said we’d keep in touch during that semester apart. My dad drove me from Texas to Lynchburg, Virginia. I remember that we had breakfast together the morning before my dad had to leave for Texas. He asked me how serious I was about Jeff. I looked straight at my dad and said, “I’m going to marry him.” My dad looked back at me, nodded, and said, “Really? Well, all right.”

I knew in my heart that I would marry Jeff. I didn’t know when, but I knew it would happen. God had drawn Jeff to Himself before He brought me into his life and then God brought us together. I was there the day Jeff was baptized at our church. Honestly, God wrote our love story.

We talked on the phone every single day while I was in Virginia. But after that semester apart, Jeff decided to move to Virginia so we could be closer. He drove up to Lynchburg and found a job and an apartment with some roommates. And I realized how much he loved me, that he’d change his whole life to be with me. We were engaged a year after our first date and married three years later (right after I graduated). 

We’ll celebrate our 12-year wedding anniversary on February 8th. Our journey together has been exactly that—a journey. And God has been with us every step of the way. He’s still writing our love story.

~*~
Author Bio: 

Brandy Bruce was scribbling stories in spiral notebooks by the age of 12. Her love for books never left her. She graduated from Liberty University, married the one person she could never get enough of, then started working as a book editor for a publishing house. Brandy and her husband, Jeff, live in Colorado with their two children.

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Recipe for Love book blurb: Overworked chef Jeremy has ordered up the perfect vacation: a fly-fishing getaway and some much-needed alone time. But when he arrives in the Colorado mountain town, he's immediately captivated by the lovely proprietor of the bed-and-breakfast, not to mention her young son. 

Alison Taylor still mourns her first husband even as she fights to keep their shared dream of a B and B alive. But there's no denying that she and her big-city guest have all the right ingredients for something special. Will this star-crossed pair realize that second chances can happen…if only they'll let them?

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Buy Brandy’s book Recipe for Love:

Amazon.com - http://amzn.to/16Jmhdn

BarnesandNoble.com - http://bit.ly/1C3WlDF

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Connect with Brandy:

Blog- http://brandybruce.blogspot.com/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/brandybruce