Special Guest Susie Finkbeiner & a Giveaway!

I'm doing a rare Tuesday post today to talk about a truly amazing book. Yes, it's a WhiteFire book, so you might think I'm biased. But hold that thought. ;-)

Last year, our other acquisitions editor, Dina, sent me a first chapter to look over. It was for a book she was considering, and she wanted to get my take on the tone. I could see why she'd want that--just looking at the summary, it's a book that could be too dark. That could be too heavy. That could be too...hard. Not hard to read, but hard to take. And while WhiteFire tackles subjects others won't, we're not a big fan of dark-for-the-sake-of-dark.

But Paint Chips...even in that first chapter, it was different. It spoke of sad things, but there was hope even in those first pages. Light. I liked that, so I gave a thumb's up and went about my business. Dina kept reading...and then David read...and then we had a committee meeting. They both voted yes, and I still hadn't read it, but I liked what I'd heard, so I voted yes too. For reference, that was the first book WhiteFire bought that I hadn't read most-if-not-all-of. But hey, that's what a committee's for.

We welcomed Susie enthusiastically to the family, and I laughed when I realized upon typing the contract that she was a Facebook friend I interacted with almost daily. Duh, LOL. But that made me even happier to welcome her to the family! ;-) I got to work right away on her cover, sending her the above as a test-run. After all, I'd never read this book, I didn't think I'd really be able to grasp it just from her questionnaire...but she quickly replied with "That's it! That's my cover!!"

Over the next couple of months, Dina worked her magic with her edits (Dina is a master of plot and scene structure, gotta say--and she does freelance work with that now, so if you're a writer and need some help in that area, check her out!!), Susie worked her magic in incorporating them, and the manuscript came to me, ready for line edits.

Imagine Roseanna sitting at her desk, glued to her laptop as Hurricane Sandy went through, muttering phrases like, "If we lose power, I still have five hours of battery. I might be able to finish this on five hours of battery..." I just couldn't put it down. I didn't want to stop reading this story, because if I did, I'd leave one or both of the characters in a tough spot...and I couldn't do that to poor Dot or Cora. I couldn't. Besides, I wanted to keep laughing. And crying! I actually cried reading this book, and those of you who know me know that I don't cry over stories. Not books, not TV, not movies...I cry, like, once a year. Maybe twice. It's not my thing, so if this did it--that should be proof right there that you had better go buy it! ;-)

Paint Chips is a book about family. About the ravages of a broken one and the healing touch of a mended one. It's a story about the power of redemption...a power that shines the brightest into the darkest crevices. It's a story that broke my heart. And then put it back together. Because it shows the ugly parts of our world. Human trafficking, abuse, the hard streets. But it shows even more starkly the beauty. What love can do. What faith can change.

When I finished reading this book, my first thought was, "Wow. I'm so glad this is ours! I want to publish this!!" (A good thought, yes, since it was only two months from release at that point, LOL.) So...seriously. This book is an experience you don't want to miss. It'll change you. Change how you look at the world, at those who love you unconditionally, at the Father who sees so much more than we do. Read it. You'll see.

Here's the back cover blurb, to give you an idea of, you know...what it's actually about. ;-)

What lies beneath the layers of hurt?

Though haunted by her troubled past, Dot has found a safe haven. She has a fierce protector and a colorful collection of friends...but sometimes she wonders if her life will ever be normal again. Though college and romance await her, embracing them requires a new kind of strength--one she isn't sure she has.

Emerging from years of confusion, Cora struggles to latch hold of the sanity she needs to return to the real world. She yearns to find a place of peace...but first she must deal with the ghosts of her past.

Can this mother and daughter overcome abuse, betrayal, abandonment, and the horrors of sexual trafficking, and make it back into each others arms?

Facing the past is never easy. But as they chip away the layers, they might just find something beautiful beneath the mess.

And if you haven't watched Susie's book trailer yet, WATCH IT!! Seriously awesome--live action, and the best book trailer I've ever seen. (We're not comparing it to mine because, well, that's like saying "Which baby is cuter? Yours or your sister's? Uh....LOL)

Now for the giveaway! 

First of all, y'all should just go buy the book, because at $3.99 for digitals, why not? ;-) (Buy from Amazon...Buy from B&N...Buy from our distributor) But I'll offer one free digital to a commenter. To make it more interesting, though, to a second winner, I'll purchase for you your choice of items from Susie's jewelry store, Inspired Novelties. Half her proceeds are donated to worthy causes (different one each month), and all are inspired by literature--and beautiful! I have several of her pieces, and they're awesome. =)

To enter, leave a comment below telling me which is your favorite piece from Susie's shop, and an email where you can be reached. Want an extra entry? Share the giveaway! Tweet it, blog about it, email it to a friend...have at it. =)

Void where prohibited. Entry into the contest is considered verification of eligibility based on your local laws. Chance of winning depends on number of entries. Contest ends 2/19/13. Winner will have one week to claim prize.