Monday, December 26, 2011

Giveaway and Author Interview: Say Goodbye to Yesterday by Shirley Connolly

 Welcome to Writing for Christ, Shirley Connolly, it is great to have you here! Do you have an interesting fact about yourself the average reader probably doesn’t know?
Gosh, my life is such an open book I would really have to think about this for a few minutes. Let me see. Maybe it's that I used to enjoy being a Court Jester back when I was in high school when we did our May Fete Queen and Princesses. I never wanted to try to be the high school beauty, but I loved doing silly things. More often than not, with the things I wrote and the crazy things I did, I got myself in plenty of hot water.  
Do you have a favorite genre to read/write? 
I love reading Regency and Post Victorian Romance. I don't know why I haven’t yet written Regency, as much as I devour it at night. But I do my best to stay educated with my research to get anything Post-Victorian that I write spot on, but at the same time, not always common knowledge back at that time. (I'm always looking for something just a bit different from what others have.)
Do you have a nugget of writing advice that has completely changed how you view writing? 

Yes, I think I do. When I am at a loss of what to write, and it happens sometimes when I am in the middle of something important, I not only pray, I also go searching  through my writing books that I've collected over the years, and I skim through them for reminders to myself of what I've been taught. It never fails to help me out. I suggest the same for other newer writers, but not only them, I'm sure all writers who have been around a while get a lot out of looking back at the basics now and then. Everyone gets stale sometimes. And it shows in our writing, if we are not careful.  
5 things you love?
1.      SEAFOOD FRESH. Mmmm Yes. Especially the seafood I used to get when we lived in Seattle. Yes, yes, yes. 
2.      Being around people from the age of 35-45 who really love the Lord and aren’t afraid to show it. Though I'm a bit older than that, young men and women of that age, continually remind me of how wonderful it is to trust in the Lord for everything not just to trust Him in some things. 
3.      Decorating my house for holidays (and, yes, buying new stuff. (If only could always do that.)  I love to make. Decorating and moving furniture around somehow always seems to give me a real boost. 
4.      Listening to classical music . It really helps my creative juices to flow 
5.      Writing stuff in my devotional journal. It gives me a chance to reveal to myself the true me. 
What do you enjoy most about being a published author? 
Meeting people like you, Casey. Writing, being completely finished with my story, and discovering what I was looking for in my writing from the beginning, after I thought I would never find it.  
Places for readers to learn more about you?
And my books can be found at Amazon, at your favorite bookstore, at Barnes n Noble, and wherever you click on my name.
My newest free read is a prequel to my August release SAY GOODBYE TO YESTERDAY. It's called TEARS OF TWO. Here is the link so you can get yourself a free copy. Hopefully it will spark your interest in SAY GOODBYE TO YESTERDAY! http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-242/Decisions-Prequel-Tears-of/Detail.bok
Thank you for being with us today!
Thanks so much, Casey!
Readers here is your chance to enter to win Shirley's novel!Please leave an email address. If I draw your name and there is no email, you will not win!

For extra entries:


~Be a follower
~Be a subscriber

Contest is open internationally and void where prohibited. Chances of winning are based on the number of entries and winner is draw from a non-biased third party- Random.org. I am not responsible for any lost or damaged items for said prize.

Thanks for coming by to enter! Contest ends on January 6th.

42 comments:

  1. This book sounds quite interesting. Never ceases to amaze me how at times we can make the wrong choice and than even knowing that, go ahead and do it again when we know better.

    Blessings,
    Jo
    ladijo40(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm a subscriber

    Blessings,
    Jo
    ladijo40(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm a follower

    Blessings,
    Jo
    ladijo40(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  4. A wonderful opportunity thank you!!

    I enjoy classical music too. It's incredibly beautiful to listen to.

    Cheers!!

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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  5. GFC: Mary Preston

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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  6. Good morning, Casey. I always enjoy your author interviews and this is true once again. Shirley Connolly is delightful and I would love to get a glimpse of her home all decorated for the holidays!
    Thanks for the link to the e-book "Tears for Two."

    beth@bethvogt.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. I am a follower and email subscriber. Tore923@aol.com

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  8. I would love to read this book. It sounds really good. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com

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  9. This sounds great, thank you for doing the interview, for the contest and the free download, I did download it.

    wfnren at aol dot com
    wrensthoughts.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  10. I am a GFC follower.

    wfnren at aol dot com
    wrensthoughts.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. I am a subscriber.

    wfnren at aol dot com
    wrensthoughts.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  12. Casey and Shirley, thank you for your interview today. I am seeing more and more writers that read different styles than they write. I find that interesting. It tends to break that so called "rule" of writing what you know and love. I am the same way I guess. I love to read Western historicals. However when I got serious about writing - (not western, not historical) I felt guilty about reading them.
    So thanks Shirley. I feel better now.
    Happy New Year to you all!

    Jodi
    jodi(dot)janz(at)gmail(dot)com

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  13. Love to be entered thanks

    ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
  14. gfc follower

    ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com

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  15. email subscriber
    ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
  16. Great interview. So glad to get that free read. Thanks. And I've already read Shirley Kiger Connolly's books. I loved them, and I can't wait till her next one comes out. Thanks. Shirley, I love seafood too! And would you believe, I once acted as a court jester? That was funny.
    Carol Lindsey
    Boise

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  17. Hi Casey and Shirley!

    Say Goodbye to Yesterday sounds great!
    I would love to win a copy. Thanks for the chance!

    bookcrazy124 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  18. I'm a GFC follower


    bookcrazy124 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  19. I'm an email subscriber


    bookcrazy124 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  20. I would LOVE to win this giveaway!!! The cover of Say Goodbye to Yesterday is SO pretty! :)

    frequentreader19 (at) gmail (dot) com
    http://christianbookshelfreviews.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  21. I follow via GFC

    frequentreader19 (at) gmail (dot) com
    http://christianbookshelfreviews.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  22. I follow via email

    frequentreader19 (at) gmail (dot) com
    http://christianbookshelfreviews.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  23. New for me but great interview makes me intrested. Thanks for the chance to win it.
    ybutler@oppcatv.com

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  24. I subscribe by email. ybutler@oppcatv.com

    ReplyDelete
  25. Follow on Google Friend Connect.
    ybutler@oppcatv.com

    ReplyDelete
  26. Thanks for the chance to win this book.
    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  27. I am a GFC Follower.
    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  28. Hi Shirley, I love seafood and could eat every day and really prefer baked or broiled over fried. Great interview and love your book and can't wait to read. Thanks for stopping by to chat and share with us.

    Thanks for the opportunity to enter giveaway Casey.

    misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  29. I am an old GFC follower

    misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  30. I am old email subscriber

    misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com

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  31. I would love to be entered to win Shirley Connolly's book! Say Goodbye to Yesterday ~*~ Thank you for opportunity and for the interview.
    lanehillhouse[at]centurylink[dot]net

    ReplyDelete
  32. I am a subscriber!
    lanehillhouse[at]centurylink[dot]net

    ReplyDelete
  33. I am a Casey follower too! So much fun here! Happy New Year Blessed 2012
    lanehillhouse[at]centurylink[dot]net

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  34. Thank you for Tears of Two and your contact info, Shirley!

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  35. I liked this post. It was a blessing.

    smileytwins@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  36. Im a follower

    smileytwins@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  37. I'm a subscriber too

    smileytwins@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  38. I am a follower.
    rdbarrett(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  39. I am a subscriber.
    rdbarrett(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete

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