Author Interview Posted

Check out Lena Nelson Dooley's blog for an interview of the Two Susans! Go to: http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

BOOKSIGNING EXTRAVAGANZA!

On March 13th, I will travel to Hardy, Arkansas, to meet up with some of my all-time best pals and writer buds--co-author Susie Warren, Chris Lynxwiler, Tracey Bateman, and Rachel Hauck. We have planned a writer's retreat and 2-day intensive brainstorming session for our future writing projects. (And I expect we'll have plenty of sister-chick gab time as well.) If you'd like a glimpse at the B&B where we'll be staying, check it out at: www.oldestonehouse.com. On Saturday morning, March 15th, Chris's mystery co-author sisters, Sandy Gaskin and Jan Reynolds, will join our gaggle as we invade a local bookstore--Words--and its adjoining coffeeshop--AfterWords--for a brief writer's workshop and Q&A session, starting at 10 a.m., followed by a booksigning extravaganza, scheduled to begin at 11. (Check out their Web site at: http://www.wordsafterwords.com/) If you are anywhere near this scenic Ozark town, I'd love to have a chance to meet you. Please stop by! SKD Hauck Bateman Lynxwiler

The Party's Over!

Our "Comment Contest" for the free copies of The Sovereign's Daughter has officially come to a close. Each of the winners has been contacted personally. Congratulations to you all! Don't forget to check back often for updates on the authors and/or our books, or visit our individual Web sites at: www.susankdowns.com or www.susanmaywarren.com. Thanks for participating. Susan Downs

Join in the fun--HISTORICAL SCAVENGER HUNT

It’s a Historical Scavenger Hunt! Playing is easy. Get the list of clues at www.ChristianReviewofBooks.com. Then visit the links below to learn about the authors and their books—you’ll find the answers to the clues in the Q&A posted there! Once you have all 18 answers, send an email to review@ChristianReviewofBooks.com to be entered to win: Six autographed books! A Whisper of Freedom by Tricia Goyer The Lady of Milkweed Manor by Julie Klassen A Passion Most Pure by Julie Lessman The Sovereign’s Daughter by Susan K. Downs & Susan May Warren The Rogue’s Redemption by Ruth Axtell Morren On Sparrow Hill by Maureen Lang *** What did you want the reader to take away from your story? Susan D: No matter how dark and desperate life may seem at any given moment, God is in control. For this series, we chose an overriding scriptural theme of God's faithfulness based on the verse in Psalm 100: 5 (NIV), which says, "For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." Susan W: That God has plan bigger than what we see, and frankly, we might never know the end, but we can trust that it is good. What is the hardest thing about writing as part of a team? Susan D: I think the hardest part of writing as a team for me had to be the fear that my work would be a disappointment to my partner. If it was, Susie never said so. That in itself earns her a lifetime supply of Brownie points! Susan W: I think that Susan and I have a very unique writing partnership – we collaborate on the plots, and they are stronger for our ideas twined together, plus we have a deep friendship. We’ve found that it works best to have one writer slap down the rough draft, and the other polish it. It’s a great way to create a piece that has more body and texture to it. Is this book a standalone or part of a series? If series, what are the other books in the series? This book was originally part of a 4-book series, a reverse generational saga that started in the contemporary and spiraled back to the past. Although each book stood alone, a mystery thread wound through the stories to connect them. And, of course, they’re all connected through their family lineage—as the “Heirs of Anton” series. After The Sovereign’s Daughter (originally named Oksana), comes Marina, (set in WW2), then Nadia (set in the cold war) and finally Ekaterina (set in contemporary Russia). We picked time periods that we loved to write about – I especially love WW2 and spy novels, so I loved writing about these unsung heroines. Visit these sites for the rest of the clues! www.triciagoyer.blogspot.com www.novelinspirations.com/blog www.julielessman.com http://sovereignsdaughter.blogspot.com http://ruthaxtellmorren.blogspot.com www.maureenlang.com

Enter Your Comment for a Chance to WIN

We will award five visitors a free copy of The Sovereign's Daughter. . .no strings attached! Simply post your comment and include an e-mail address where you can be reached in order to obtain a shipping address should you be one of the recipients. Blessings, friends. SKD

THE SOVEREIGN'S DAUGHTER--Reader Reviews!

 A richly textured love story set in war-torn Russia. The Mennonite, Anton, only meant to lead a quiet, unassuming life, but his character is tried and tested when he is entrusted to protect Tsar Nikolai's chambermaid. The conflicts and trials these characters endure touched my heart and kept me turning pages. And in my journey through this story, I learned so much about the Bolshevik revolution. . . Every scene is authentic and compelling. Highly recommended reading.  Using the Bolshevik Revolution as the impetus to this superb inspirational historical tale Susan May Warren and Susan K. Downs provide an interesting look at the turmoil of 1917 Russia. The key couple makes for a fascinating story as they flee for their lives heading from royalty to a Mennonite farm while revolutionaries pursue them. Each learns the hard way how difficult it truly is to trust God when you don't understand why bad things are happening to good people. Historical and inspirational fans will fully appreciate this fine saga and seek more collaborative works by the two Susans.  A beautiful story, full of rich settings and deep characters. It drew me instantly, within the first two pages, into a world and a revolution I'd only studied previously as facts and figures. The setting became very real to me through these true-to-life characters and I could not put the book down. I was transported to an intriguing time and place I didn't want to leave. The book has many unexpected twists and turns and is thoroughly enjoyable from beginning to end. You'll find yourself cheering, laughing, and then crying—tears of joy and of sadness. Excellent book.  I don't give out 5-star ratings very often or easily, so I truly recommend this series! Grade: A.  The story grips you from the beginning and the ending is awesome! . . .Downs and Warren have won a fan in me!  I'm a huge fan of Russian history especially when dealing with the Russian royal family. I have always found the rise and fall of the last tsar of Russia and his family fascinating. This story weaves historical fact with fiction beautifully. It's a really good story, too, with lots of suspense and romance. What I also enjoyed about this story is that while most stories during this time period focus on Anastasia, this one was mainly about Olga. It was nice to read about a different perspective. It was obvious lots of research went into writing this book. I could almost imagine I was part of the story myself, trying to get into disguise and running for my life. . . .Excellent historical fiction and highly recommended.