Welcome Pam Hillman, whose ebook Claiming Mariah is coming out through Tyndale House this month. Isn’t the cover lovely?

I will give away one ecopy of her newest release to a random commenter who ALSO answers one of the questions 5-8 below! Comment/Answer by January 11, 2013, and I’ll post the winner on the 12th. Pam is doing several giveaways too (two ereaders!), you’ll find that at the bottom of this post.

*Questions about Pam’s books:

1. What inspired Claiming Mariah?
Several years ago, I read a novel where a bank robber tosses a sack of stolen money in the back seat of a hand-to-mouth college student’s car. She kept the money and eventually started a very successful business. She justified her actions because she anonymously created a charity to help destitute young women get back on their fee. But, as the old saying goes, two wrongs don’t make a right, and that wasn’t quite right from a Christian’s perspective, was it?

I based Claiming Mariah on the following question: “What would a Christian do if they found out their whole livelihood had been based on a lie?” Mariah does the right thing by writing to Slade’s father asking for forgiveness, but the consequences of her actions end up being way more than she bargained for.

2. What was the hardest part of this book to write?
Without giving away too much of the story, I wrestled with Red Harper. What kind of man was he? What were his redeeming qualities? What were his faults? How did he get to where he was in his life? People find themselves in tough situations all the time with no way out just like Red did.

3. What character in this book turned out to be your favorite?
I enjoyed getting to know Mariah’s grandmother. Grandma Malone doesn’t dance around particulars or stand on ceremony. This line sums Grandma Malone up to a tee. She gave him that peculiar look of hers that said she was old enough to say what she wanted and get away with it.

4. If you could be one of your characters, who would you choose to be and why?
The street kid named Luke in Stealing Jake. One reader said that Luke’s story was interwoven so much with Jake and Livy’s story that she couldn’t imagine one without the other. Even though delving into Luke’s story wasn’t part of the original draft, he kept niggling at my brain, and once I added the thread in his point-of-view, the story felt complete. Luke is just a kid, but he risks his life to search for his little brother, and becomes a father figure of sorts to the other street kids. Given the same circumstances, I would hope to be half as brave, caring, and compassionate as Luke.

*Questions recommending other Christian Historical Novels:  

5. If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only take one Christian Historical Novel, which would you pick?
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. Not only is Redeeming Love written by a master craftsman, it’s the retelling of a love story from the Bible, the story of Gomer and Hosea, which, by the way, is an allegory of the greatest love story of all time, the love God has for all humanity. So, if I had Redeeming Love with me, I’d be getting three for one. Right?

6. Which was the last Christian Historical Novel you read, and what was your favorite thing about it?
This is a really hard question. Thinking….. The last Christian Historical novel I finished (as opposed to one I’m currently reading) was The Preacher’s Bride by Jody Hedlund. One of the things that stuck with me about Elizabeth, the preacher’s bride, was that she was doggedly faithful in taking care of the helpless, the needy, and the preacher’s children even at the risk of her own life. I’m a sucker for anyone who fights for the underdog.

7. What Christian Historical Novel are you most excited to read that hasn’t yet come out?
Johnnie Alexander Donley’s Where Treasure Hides is a Tyndale House Digital First title that released the same day as Claiming Mariah. I’m naturally excited about reading it. Where Treasure Hides is Johnnie’s debut novel, and I’ve had the pleasure of reading the opening chapter. I can’t wait for the rest!

8. What Christian Historical Novel in your To Be Read pile is begging you to make time to plop down with it right now?
You do know how to put a girl on the spot, don’t you? So, if I could spend a cold winter’s day just reading (oh, what joy!), I’d fix a hot cappuccino, cuddle up on the couch with a plush blanket and read, I’d start with (wait while I peruse my Kindle)… To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer. I just got it on my Kindle (squeeeeee!). I really enjoyed A Tailor-Made Bride, so I’m anxious to read To Win Her Heart as well. Shoot, Melissa, now you’ve done it — I want to start reading and instead I have to finish your blog post for you….. Aaarrrghhhhh!!!! Okay, I’m going to take an itty-bitty peek at the first few pages…reading…reading…reading…. Sigh…. It’s going to be just as good as I hoped.

[Melissa interjects: Oh, Pam, that’s my favorite book I read in 2011; good luck stopping at one chapter! Thanks for taking the time to share about your books and your Christian Historical favorites!]

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*****DON’T FORGET TO COMMENT AND GIVE ME YOUR ANSWER FOR ONE OF THE QUESTIONS 5-8 TO BE ENTERED INTO A FREE EBOOK COPY–AND IF YOU DON’T HAVE AN EBOOK READER, YOU CAN DOWNLOAD ONE TO YOUR COMPUTER OR I CAN SEND IT TO A FRIEND YOU THINK MIGHT BE INTERESTED. YOU MUST BE CONTACTABLE, EITHER LEAVE AN EMAIL IN THE COMMENTS OR BE SURE YOUR BLOGGER PROFILE HAS IT!*****