An Aria for Nick by Hallee Bridgeman – Part II of the Song of Suspense Series GIVEAWAY.

I’m happy to welcome Christian novelist Hallee Bridgeman to MBB today.  Hallee writes wonderful novels, full of romance, intrigue and suspense and all the stories fully reflect Christian values and there’s one thing I’ve learnt from reading her work.  Being an upfront Christian is not for the weak or the fainthearted.  As a person with deep Christian beliefs, as well as an avid reader, I find Hallee’s work a blessing to me and hopefully, to as many readers to whom I can spread the word about these wonderful books through this blog. Hallee not only writes novels, she’s an avid homemaker and writes some amazing cookbooks.

HALLEE BRIDGEMAN ON THE WEB:

Website        Facebook      Twitter

How did you discover your calling as a Christian novelist, Hallee?
In 2009, our family went through a deeply spiritual renewal. We looked at our life and realized that we’d fallen into a world view trap. While we loved God, we did not love Him with all of our hearts, minds, strength, or souls. We loved Him on our terms, and that wasn’t going to work for us anymore. So, we changed, and made our world fit into our worship of God rather than making God fit into our world. Part of that change meant cleaning out our entertainment — books, television, movies — we became very selective in what we allowed into our homes and into our minds.

When our youngest son was 2, I decided to refocus on my writing. I pulled up the old files and started looking through them. I settled on my Jewel Trilogy as the first one I’d refresh, because those stories are timeless, and world events wouldn’t necessarily change the plot. I re-wrote, edited, edited, edited, wrote another brilliant cover letter, an even more brilliant synopsis, and mailed book 1, Sapphire Ice, off to a secular romance publisher.

The second it was out of my hands, I felt conviction. We’d cleared out our home and entertainment but never thought about my books. They were as secular as could be and glorified all sorts of sinful behavior. I spent the next three weeks completely “redeeming” the first book, knowing, without having to be told, that they would want the book. I knew the temptation to publish would be placed in front of me despite my convictions otherwise.

When that heavy, letterhead envelope came to my mailbox, I knew

– See more at: http://www.bridgemanfamily.com/hallee/from-romance-author-to-inspirational-author-my-writing-testimony/#sthash.m1mFkpge.dpuf

Do you see your role as an author as a type of ministry? Because as I see it, you’re spreading the message of Christianity through your novels….

I absolutely see my writing as a ministry.  I believe this is the platform God has given me to “go ye therefore”. I take it very prayerfully and very seriously.

You write non-fiction books too, I’ve seen.  You’ve got some cleverly named cookbooks out – such as Fifty Shades of Gravy. Which do you find it easier to write?  Fiction or non-fiction?

I have been blogging for four years.  That has been entirely nonfiction – homemaking help, real food cooking, Biblical womanhood, Christian parenting, Christian marriage — I find that it is different for me.  It’s not necessarily easier, it’s just different — a different voice, a different part of my brain. For instance, I cannot write fiction if my children are home or if there is a noise (like a dog incessantly barking).  Whatever method my brain uses to write fiction places me “there” — when I’m in a scene, I can see it, hear it, smell it.  I’m THERE.  But when there are distractions, I can’t do it.  Something prevents me from accessing the ability.  

I can (and have) written non fiction with a child crawling on my head.  I can stop, start, come back to it, and take all day to write two paragraphs and never break my chain of thought.
I enjoy writing both and honestly hope I never have to choose between one or the other.

Can you sum up your latest novel in a Tweet sized sentence? I’m talking 140 characters here…..

Aria uncovers a plot to destroy the nation, and finds herself running for her life. The only man who can save her has been dead for a decade.

And Hallee – what are your future plans?  When will the next instalment of the Song of Suspense Series be coming our way?

I have just finished a surprise project that I hope to publish this week.  (I wrote it in two days and begged my editor and cover artist to expedite it for me.)  Now that I’ve finished THAT (heh) I will begin work on the Virtues in Valor series — a serial story that will be told in 7 novellas about an amazing band of women in World War II in Occupied France. Each novella will highlight one of the women – and all of them have code names of the heavenly virtues — Faith, Prudence, Temperance, Hope, Mercy, Grace, Charity.  Each character was based on a real life heroine from the war, and that woman’s true story will be told at the end of the book.  The same story line will run through them all, as if each novella is a chapter in a book.  I plan to release them once every two weeks or month when they’re written, and pray that the first one will be available on December 7th (Pearl 

I have also just finished the cookbook Iron Skillet Man — a cast iron skillet cookbook.

The next Song of Suspense book will come out sometime in early 2014.  That book is called A Carol for Kent. 

AN ARIA FOR NICK

The Only Man who can Save her Life 
Has been Dead for a Decade… 
Raised in a loving home, Aria Suarez dreamed of becoming a professional pianist happily married to her high school crush. After the only boy who ever caught her eye dies a hero’s death and her wrist is shattered along with her future plans, she turns her brilliant musical mind to nuclear engineering and solving mysteries of science. 

Abandoned to an abusive father at five, Nick Williams grew up dreaming of escape; of enlisting in the Army and leaving his wretched life behind; of proving himself worthy of the girl he loves. But the crucible of combat offers only the escape of death. 

A decade later, Aria uncovers a nuclear plot that threatens the heart of our very nation. Sinister forces surround and threaten her when, out of nowhere, the man who reportedly died so many years before returns as if from the grave — intent on protecting her. 

Has God finally joined them together? Or is Aria doomed to mourn Nick twice?

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