SRP Heroine Interview: Carrie from Oracle of Philadelphia

1. Please tell us a little bit about what is currently going on in your life?

I have this talent to see into the hearts and minds of people I meet. I’ve had it my whole life—approximately 8,000 years. The elders of my village sacrificed their souls, and the souls of some the townsfolk, in exchange for my immortal life.

Nowadays I run a diner in Philadelphia, and one day a young man walked in who I knew instantly was one of the kindest, most generous, and all-around best people I had ever met. But he had sold his soul to the archdemon Azrael in exchange for his sister’s life. I couldn’t stand the idea of such a noble person spending an eternity in Hell, so I decided I had to travel down there myself and get Azrael to negate the contract.

2. What made you want your story to be told?

Honestly, I didn’t want anyone telling my story, because I don’t really want people to know about my existence. Could you imagine my life if word got out there was an all-powerful Oracle living in downtown Philly? But I have been assured my story will be presented as fiction, so I should be relatively safe.

I guess I want my story to be told because I think real, every day people deserve to know what the world is really like. Demons are out there every day, bidding for our souls and tempting us to do evil. And angels aren’t the heroes we need them to be nearly often enough. So sometimes the only thing to do is to take a stand for what is right yourself.

3. What lead you to make the changes you did in your life?

Changes? I so rarely make changes in my life. Eight thousand years, and I keep settling into the same pattern. I almost always work in the food service industry, offering advice to people who come by. I’ve been at this same diner for years, and I don’t think that’s likely to change any time in the near future.

4. In your life, what has empowered you?

I suppose I’m most empowered by my special gift. I’m told it’s much easier to navigate social vagaries when you know what everyone around you is thinking. I also have two close friends, Gabriel and Bedlam, whom I can count on to stand by me through just about anything.

5. What are strengths and weaknesses?

Strengths? I would say that I have the sort of wisdom that comes from living a long life and being able to see into the people around me. I have the ability to take things in stride and realize that most things don’t last forever.

As for weaknesses… I get stuck in places, in life. I have this whole long life where I can see history pass. I can see into other people and understand them on a level no one else can. And yet I don’t contribute to the world. I sit by and do nothing. And I don’t quite know how to change, or even if I could.

6. Describe what being a self-rescue princess (a strong, confident woman) means to you.

I’ve lived through many different time periods, during many of which women have been treated as less than equal to men. But in every era I can think of examples of women with great strength. Sometimes they were famous or did things that no woman ever had before, and sometimes they were just ordinary girls who bore with all the terrible things that life brought upon them. I like to think that I have that kind of strength in me as well, but sometimes I am not sure.

7. What one advice/wisdom would you like to pass onto young women?

Appreciate every good moment that you have, because you never know when they might be taken away from you. And in your darkest times, remember that the light will come again.

8. Favorite quote or Bible verse.

“For fools rush in, where angels fear to tread.” – Alexander Pope. Of course, in my experience, there are a lot of places angels are afraid of, and often times someone needs to go in. And if that’s me, well, I guess I’m a fool.

9.  If your story had a theme song, what would it be?

I let Bedlam pick the music, and he says it’s “Hero” by Chad Kroger. I guess that’s fair. I’m not really one to sit around waiting for a  hero.

10. Will you be continuing your journey in written form?

Sort of. The next book in the series will be a little bit about me and what’s going on with my life, but it will mostly be about my friend Bedlam.

If you’d like to know more about Carrie, you can find her store here:

Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Oracle-Philadelphia-Earthbound-Angels-ebook/dp/B00BYH680O/

Barnes & Noble Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/oracle-of-philadelphia-elizabeth-corrigan/1114884700?ean=2940016360195&isbn=2940016360195

Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Oracle-of-Philadelphia/book-H01IZC3k40SH-kjHsEkc8A/page1.html?s=Ktykqz33FkSUR4NzDZBQJg&r=1

Amazon Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Oracle-Philadelphia-Book-Earthbound-Angels/dp/1482692473/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1364162353&sr=1-2&keywords=oracle+of+philadelphia

Book Trailer:

If you’d like to be entered to win an Amazon Gift Certificates and fun book-related merchandise please check out the contest sponsored by Red Adept Publishing below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Annual Holiday Reading Search

In a few short days, it’ll be the start (the start for me anyway) of the holiday season. Turkey. Present shopping. Putting up the Christmas tree. Present shopping. House decorating. Present shopping. Cookie baking. Putting a limit on the present shopping. Along with all that fun, comes my favorite and most anticipated activities of the year. Holiday entertainment. From Thanksgiving day until January 6, I indulge in Christmas music, Christmas movies, and reading holiday themed books.

My favorite topics for holiday books are rekindled romances, the loner finding those who want to make him or her a part of their family, and the ones centered around ‘holiday drama’. I like my holiday angst to be have a light and humorous tone. I don’t mind some heavy hitting issues, but nothing too heart-breaking. If I’m going to cry at the holiday, I want it to because my heart was touched by kindness and generosity. During the rest of the year, give me the heavy themes, the life-altering, heart-wrenching books but from the week of Thanksgiving through January 6, I want ‘holiday drama’. It’s a weird quirk of mine.

‘Holiday Drama’ books are based on those perplexing and aggravating issues which only come up around the happiest time of the year–the time of joy, love, and getting together with family members. The angst over not being invited…or being invited…to ‘the’ cookie exchange party of the year, deciding to pare down the holiday spending and activities only to be confronting by those not agreeing with your choice, or the holiday planner/baker/shopper/decorator having enough and going on strike. Throw in the neighborhood war of banning blow up yard decorations, greedy shopper buying the entire stock of the hot item to sell for a fortune on an auction site and there’s enough drama to last the whole season long.

Because of our cruise vacation last week (AMAZING trip, I’ll share pics and stories later), I’m gathering my holiday reading a little later than usual. Fortunately, a wonderful friend sent me a suggestion and I’d love to get some more. I have a few favorites…Orphaned Hearts was added to my favorite list lat year… and am always on the search to add to my collection.

To grow my collection, I’d love to hear what holiday books you love reading.

 

New Outfit for Your eReader and a new ebook – Giveaway

To celebrate the new book in the New Beginnings Series, I’m doing a giveaway not only for the newest title, Led Astray, but also a new beginning –look–for your eReader with a sleeve handcrafted by Personal Bags by Patricia. Please see the photos below of my Kindle keyboard (Chris1) and Kindle Fire (also known in my house as Dragon) modeling the beautiful sleeve which is made from a lovely romantic fabric of pinks, creams and blues.

Romantic sleeve for ereader:            

 

 

 

 

 

 

My models in action:

Chris1 (I know a very original name)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dragon:    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And now, a little modeling from Led Astray:

“Now, Pastor, I wouldn’t make such a hasty decision.” Mr. Kline pulled out another card and reached around Riley to place it on the desk. “Talk to the members of your church.”

“I know their feelings on destroying the beauty God created.” Riley picked up the card and started to tear it in half.

Mr. Kline gripped his wrist and squeezed, stopping Riley from completing the tearing motion. “Jobs are scarce in this community. There aren’t many other companies wanting to bring other employment opportunities to this backwoods place.”

Naomi gasped. Riley motioned for her to stay behind him.

“Pastor Coole, is something wrong?” A woman’s soft voice drifted from the doorway.

Riley turned, and his breath caught in his throat. The heart-shaped face of an angel appeared through the slight opening. Lips lined in pink stood out from a smooth complexion. She stepped into the office and a questioning expression filled the sweet, young face as large green eyes focused on him and blinked. Once. Twice.

Thomas Kline’s attention also turned toward the young woman, and the man raked a leer over her body. Riley clenched his fists. The young woman flipped strands of her unnatural colored hair, a hue resembling a brand new rising sunset, over her shoulders. Curls surrounded her neck and cascaded down her back, a cloak of multitude colors.

“Now who do we have here, Pastor.” Kline stepped toward the woman. “You sure do like to have an array of woman about.”

“And you like to ignore the word ‘no.'” The woman strode forward, confident and menacing, the angel persona vanishing.

Kline took one long step forward and stood face-to-face with the spitfire. “What makes any of this your business?”

“From what I know, I was asked to be here, and you weren’t.”

Kline reached for the woman’s arms. “I’m advising you to leave.”

She jerked away. “Or what?”

Riley stepped between them, confusion revving his heart rate and causing his thoughts to swirl. Who was this woman, and why did she show up now? This wasn’t a lost soul who stumbled onto the church and sought directions. This woman intended to be here, meant to wage war with Kline. Why?

How to enter: To enter to win the eReader sleeve and a copy of Led Astray in your preferred ebook format, please leave a comment along with your email. I’m all for readers leaving any comment they’d wish, but the Kindles would like to know with of them looks better, Chris1 or Dragon. The last day for entering will be May 17 and the winner announced May 18.

Lost Then Found Giveaway to Celebrate 1st Year

To celebrate my 1 year anniversary with Desert Breeze Publishing, I’m hosting a giveaway of Lost Then Found, the book that inspired the name of my blog.  Leave a comment to enter for a chance to win.  When I was first trying to get my inspirational romantic suspense published, I ran into a little issue with my heroine. I started to reconsider how I wrote heroines, until a friend gave me the best advice. Her words of wisdom was I should create my characters the way they were in my heart and then find a publisher that published those types of story. I talked about my journey into writing romantic suspense in my first blog post.

January 5, 2011 was when I received an email from Gail Delaney saying she’d like to offer a contract not only on the first book in the New Beginnings Series, Lost Then Found, but also for the rest of the series– a total of 5 books. Led Astray, book 2, is off for editing and scheduled for release May 1, 2012. Today, I’m working on book three, Safe and Sound, in the New Beginning Series. It’s amazing.

Since I’m writing Book 3, I decided to giveaway 3 books to celebrate: 1 PDF copy, 1 Kindle Copy (I’ll gift directly from Amazon), 1 Nook copy (I’ll gift directly from Barnes and Noble). To enter, leave a comment on this post with your email address and let me know which copy you’d like to win. Please feel free to share this giveaway. Entries will be accepted until Monday, January 9 at 11:59 pm. Winners will be notified no later than January 11 (adding a couple of days in case  internet issues happen due to winter weather). 

Blurb: Skip-tracer Renee Stratford-Knight’s life is becoming stable again. Eighteen months prior, the murder of her sister and the soon-to-follow collapse of her marriage left her reeling. She made it through those dark days with the help of family, embracing faith and starting her own skip-tracing business, New Beginnings, which specializes in relocating abused women. Now, her ex-husband — and former business partner — Jonas Knight shows up asking about her most vulnerable client.

Jonas knows his ex-wife helped embezzler Gina Howard elude the authorities and plans to bring the young woman to justice. When Renee is threatened, Jonas grows suspicious of his client’s reason for finding his niece. In order to uncover the secrets their clients hold, Jonas and Renee must struggle through distrust and the pain of their pasts to work together to save the life of a teenage girl — and their own.

Excerpt:

Renee locked the apartment up tight and took the stairs. Gripping the rail, she plodded down the steps, each step draining energy. The eventual battle with Jonas weighed down her spirit. She didn’t want to relive the painful moments of her life.

She stepped onto the ground floor, tugged open the door leading to the back parking lot and walked outside. A cold breeze played along her skin, drifting against her unprotected neck. The impulsive summer haircut she chose that winter over the hairdresser’s recommendations no longer symbolized independence to her but teenage rebellion.

She tugged up the small collar of her leather coat. “Showed him, didn’t I.”

Hands clapped. Renee halted under the dim lights of the outside doors. Her heart rate accelerated as she looked around the darkening area. Parked in the lot were three cars and a van. She swallowed hard and stared at the windows of the van, trying to make out any figures. Placing her hand into her front pocket, she pressed her thumb onto the keypad of her cell phone. She sent out a heads-up message to her brother.

Jonas stepped into the light, a sarcastic smile stretching across his face. Better to face a known enemy than an unknown one. She typed another message to her brother. False read. Lord, let that work to keep Alex at home rather than charging to the rescue.

“Your skills at deception have gotten better.” Jonas loomed over her.

“I learned from the best.” Regret tugged at her conscience as the words left her mouth. She pushed it away. If she allowed Jonas to get the upper hand, then she offered an opportunity for his words to steal away her confidence.

She tilted her head back and locked onto his storm-cloud gray eyes, standing in place even though her neck muscles ached. She promised herself not to ever allow a man to make her feel powerless. The streetlights allowed her to see her reflection in his eyes. As he studied her face, his gaze softened. He reached out, fingers lingering by her cheek.

The air between them crackled. A shiver raced through Renee and she fought the instinct to lean those few inches toward his touch. They were divorced. They no longer meant anything to each other. She drew back but not before awareness crept into his gaze. He knew. He sensed it.

Time to end the silent duel, and leave. Now. She held in a frustrated sigh as she asked the question Jonas silently demanded. “What do you want?”

“Gina Howard’s location.”