Author Spotlight week - Excerpt from Beyond Ever After

Hi All - it was great to have Carie on the blog this week. GIVEAWAY: Read this excerpt and leave a comment. You'll be entered to win a PDF copy of "Beyond Ever After". This giveaway will be going on all weekend. Winner will be picked on Monday morning. Please leave a contact email if you post so we can get ahold of you.

Smiles
Moderator Steph

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"I've prayed all week about going to Africa, and I was sure the right answer was to go. I truly believed, and still believe, it's what I am supposed to do. Then, this morning everything changed." Haven picked up her tea, took a quick sip like it was something stronger and set it down. "I was wrong in the way I handled all of it."

She didn't meet Brody’s eyes when she spoke. Those words must have cost her. There was that urge again, to pull her close to him and just hold her until the sadness was gone. But he remained seated, hating the fear that kept him rooted to the couch.
Finally, she blew out a breath and spoke quickly, without emotion, looking at his chest instead of at him. "I would like to go to Africa, but I won't go unless it's okay with you." Then, she met his eyes and finished, "I'm asking for your permission. I'll stay here if it's what you decide. But I really want to go. Eliya... the little girl on the fridge--"

He nodded. Did she really think he didn't know who Eliya was? That Haven sent a check every month to help the girl? That Haven had been there when she arrived at the mission?

"She's hurt and needs my help."

He remembered at that moment how much joy had once been bundled inside Haven, even as a child. She had been quick to smile and tease, soothing away the pain of anyone around her. She had laughed often and openly. Because the memories were so at odds with the woman who sat in front of him, he couldn't deny her. With the realization, the last drop of anger drained out of him.

Of course she could go. How could he deny her helping a child she loved? "I'll go with you." Had he really just said that?
Surprise flashed in her eyes and then acceptance. He desperately hoped happiness would come in its wake. But she closed her eyes again, and when she opened them there was a sad sort of resignation.

It cut deep. She didn't want to spend the summer with him. She wanted to go alone. Letting her go might be easier than spending the summer with her, when she didn't want him. But fear of the infinitely dangerous possibilities overrode his pride.
He couldn't let her go with no one to watch out for her. Despite what she thought, he couldn't imagine a life without Haven.

"Don't look so excited, honey." Anger fired out the words.

"Stop." The single, broken syllable held his tongue better than rage would have. "I can't... I can't do this. Please, Brody. No more." Her dry eyes were empty. "I'll do anything to help Eliya, but I can't spend the summer fighting with you. Not here and not in Africa. I need a break."

Brody sat in silence, staring at the drops of water running down the side of his glass. Maybe they were crying for Haven, because she didn't and wouldn't. Maybe they were crying for him, too, because he couldn't figure out how to make her happy.
There was no way he could let her go alone. He had to either go with her or tell her to stay. Because he couldn't stand the unhappiness he saw on her face, he clutched desperately to the one thing that came to his mind. "A truce."

Her head jerked backward.

He held up a hand of reassurance. "No fighting. We'll go to Africa on your terms. I'll be your bag boy and body guard. I'll do everything I can to help you and not get in your way. I'll have no expectations of you, Haven. If we start arguing, I'll go home and you'll get the break you think you need."

"What do you get in return?"

"I guess I get the satisfaction of knowing if something goes wrong, I'll be there to do what I can." He leaned back, settling in to the idea.

Haven stared for several long minutes in disbelief. It was enough to make him want to withdraw his offer. Instead, he waited. Despite the pain, and it was there, so deep it created a physical ache in his chest. The one person on earth who had ever loved him needed a break from him.

Author Spotlight Week - Carie Lawson shares her passion for Inspirationals

Why do I write inspirationals? Mostly because I couldn’t write anything else. Showing God’s goodness to his children is the reason I started writing. One of my favorite verses is James 1:17, Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. The romance part of my books is fun to write… and hopefully read. There’s nothing quite like the flirty, fun, falling-in-love feelings that romance brings. But the hope that’s there is because God is present in all of our lives.

I hope that my books are examples of God’s goodness to his children, those who have always know him and faithfully seek His will and those who are just coming to know Him and need his presence to help them find their way.

Author Spotlight Week - Q&A with Carie Lawson

STEPH: I don't know much about Beyond Ever After. What's it about?

CARIE: Beyond Ever After is the story of Haven and Brody McCord, a couple who were high school sweet hearts. After being married for five years, they wonder if their marriage will make it one more day. When Haven takes a trip to Africa, Brody knows he has to go to protect her. During that trip they find the friendship that they once shared. But Brody has a secret that will change everything before they leave.

STEPH: Where did you get the inspiration for it?

CARIE:The inspiration for this book was all the might-have-beens in life. Brody and Haven just couldn’t seem to get their relationship right from the first kiss to the last. Even when they did everything wrong, God worked things out for the good when they finally put their trust in Him.

STEPH How long did it take you to write?

CARIE: It took about nine months to write and another six months to revise. When the idea for this book hit me, I couldn’t get it out of my head. I couldn’t wait get to my computer to write more. Doing the revisions was like sitting down with an old friend and hearing more of her life story than I had known before.

STEPH: Did you use a working cover? If so, share.

CARIE: I didn’t have a working cover.

STEPH: Cast the movie. Who are the leads?

CARIE: I have to tell you this is the hardest question for me. I rarely watch anything that isn’t animated. And the leads don’t resemble anyone on Phineas and Ferb☺ I had to search images and here’s what I came up with… Brody looks like Jensen Ackles. Haven looks like Charlize Theron in a pony tail. You know he’s the scruffy beard and worn out blue jeans guy and she is the girl next door.

STEPH: What song would you use to describe the mood/tone of the story?

CARIE: Garth Brooks, Unanswered Prayers

STEPH: Tell us a little about the place you live.

CARIE: We live outside Nashville, TN. To get to our house you have to pass a dairy farm and a little Methodist Church. We have a pool and lots of toys stuffed onto an acre of land. I keep telling my hubby, if we want to put anything else in the yard we have to find some property. But we love living in a neighborhood where the kids have lots of friends and everyone looks out for one another.

STEPH What's your writing space like?

CARIE: I have a little laptop desk that I use while I sit in my bed. There’s always a pot of coffee nearby and preferably some chocolate to keep the imagination flowing.

STEPH: Fun question: What country haven't you gone to yet, that you would like to visit.

CARIE: There are so many places I’d like to see. Greece and Ireland are probably the top two.

Steph, Thanks so much for having me. You came up with some fun questions. You are always wonderful to talk to!

STEPH: Thanks for being here, Carie. It's always fun to have you on the blog!

Smiles

Introducing Beyond Ever After by Carie Lawson

HERE'S A BLURB:
Haven Castlin is married to the boy she fell in love with as a teenager, Brody. After a series of mistakes, their marriage isn't working any more. When she asks Brody if she can go to Africa on a summer mission alone, he offers her the one thing she didn't expect -- a truce. In Africa they find the friendship they lost after making too many mistakes.

Brody can't figure out how to make Haven happy and doesn't deserve her, but he just can't let her go to a dangerous country alone. He'll let her go soon enough.

EXCERPT:
Of course she could go. How could he deny her helping a child she loved? "I'll go with you." Had he really just said that?

Surprise flashed in her eyes and then acceptance. He desperately hoped happiness would come in its wake. But she closed her eyes again, and when she opened them there was a sad sort of resignation.

It cut deep. She didn't want to spend the summer with him. She wanted to go alone. Letting her go might be easier than spending the summer with her, when she didn't want him. But fear of the infinitely dangerous possibilities overrode his pride. He couldn't let her go with no one to watch out for her. Despite what she thought, he couldn't imagine a life without Haven.

"Don't look so excited, honey." Anger fired out the words.

"Stop." The single, broken syllable held his tongue better than rage would have. "I can't... I can't do this. Please, Brody. No more." Her dry eyes were empty. "I'll do anything to help Eliya, but I can't spend the summer fighting with you. Not here and not in Africa. I need a break."

Brody sat in silence, staring at the drops of water running down the side of his glass. Maybe they were crying for Haven, because she didn't and wouldn't. Maybe they were crying for him, too, because he couldn't figure out how to make her happy.

There was no way he could let her go alone. He had to either go with her or tell her to stay. Because he couldn't stand the unhappiness he saw on her face, he clutched desperately to the one thing that came to his mind. "A truce."

Her head jerked backward.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Carie Lawson home schools her four kids, drives the soccer van --- complete with dirty socks and McDonalds bags scattered throughout --- and tries to sneak away to her computer whenever possible to write. She is an active member of a local writer's group, Middle Tennessee Christian Writers, and received third place in the North Texas Romance Writer's Great Expectations contest in the Inspirational Romance category.