Tag Archives: Guest Post + #Giveaway: Vannetta Chapman

Guest Post + #Giveaway: Vannetta Chapman

13 Feb

Hi, friends!  I’m thrilled to welcome Vannetta Chapman back to the blog!  Today, she is sharing a few quotes that relate to her latest release, Raging Storm.

raging-storm-cover

About the book:

In the Darkness,
 Anarchy Awakens

When a massive solar flare wiped out all modern technology across the globe, the small town of Abney, Texas, was thrown into chaos. Shelby Sparks and her teenage son, Carter, have found refuge, but Shelby knows she can’t simply remain hidden forever. Carter is a type 1 diabetic in need of insulin—and Shelby will risk her life traveling to Austin to make sure he gets it.

Shelby’s best friend and high school sweetheart, Max Berkman, won’t even consider letting her make the perilous journey alone. Together, they manage to get to the capital—only to discover that while things are desperate in Abney, Austin has turned into an urban nightmare on the brink of anarchy.

Shelby and Max’s search for medical supplies will lead them into terrifying territory, where the only thing more uncertain than finding what they need is the hope of making it out of the city alive.

In this second book in an eerily plausible, action-packed dystopian series, survival will be threatened and faith will be put to the ultimate test as a raging storm engulfs America.

 

FROM THE AUTHOR: 

Thanks so much for having me on your blog. Readers often ask me what inspires me to write the characters and stories that I write. The answer is a lot of things–sermons, music, news stories, people I know. But once I have a story in mind, I will notice quotes from things I’m reading that seem to apply, that move the story in the direction I want it to go, that speak to my heart.

“Pray for the remnant that still survives.” This is a verse from 2 Kings, Chapter 19, verse 4. In this part of the Bible, the kings are warned by the prophets, both about Jerusalem’s destruction as well as its deliverance. King Hezekiah understands what lies ahead, and he utters these words, “Pray for the remnant that still survives.” As I was envisioning a world vastly changed, I have complete faith that there will always be a remnant of Christ, those who hold to the faith and share the Gospel of Christ.

“That will not be the time for choosing: it will be the time when we discover which side we really have chosen.” This is a quote from C.S. Lewis in The Case for Christianity. I find it beautiful and chilling. Lewis seems to be saying that a time will come when we will find our self on one side or the other. And so, we should choose now, and choose wisely.

“We are living on the brink of the apocalypse, but the world is asleep.” This quote is by bestselling author Joel Rosenberg. There are times when I feel like we are hyper-aware of the world around us, that we allow events beyond our control to rob us of our sleep and our joy. But I also feel that we take many things for granted. We rise and work and play and sleep, and rarely take the time to prepare for the future, or to connect with one another while we can. In that sense, Raging Storm is a call to action.

“In the blink of an eye everything can change. So forgive often and love with all your heart. You may not have that chance again.” ~Zig Ziglar. I saw this quote on social media, and it resonated in my heart so much that I printed it out and kept it posted beside my computer as I wrote all 3 books of this series. I know personally that life can change in a breath–for better and sometimes for worse. We have all been guilty of taking today and even tomorrow for granted. My hope is that when readers finish with these books, they’ll have a deeper appreciation of the time they have, of the people around them, and of the grace that God offers to us all. 

Thank you so much for sharing these quotes, Vannetta, and for graciously offering a copy of Raging Storm to one of my readers!  

 

About the author:

copy-of-vc-profile-1

Vannetta Chapman writes inspirational fiction full of grace, including romantic suspense and Amish romance novels. She is the author of seventeen novels, including the Pebble Creek Amish series, The Shipshewana Amish Mystery series and Anna’s Healing, a 2016 Christy Award finalist. Vannetta is a Carol award winner and also received more than two dozen awards from Romance Writers of America chapter groups. She was a teacher for 15 years and currently resides in the Texas hill country. 

Purchase a copy of Raging Storm:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Christianbook

Author links:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

 

giveaway-raging-storm

GIVEAWAY DETAILS – (US only) 

One lucky reader will win a print copy of Raging Storm!

To enter the giveaway:
Leave a comment below, and be sure to include your email address. The giveaway ends Monday, February 20 at midnight CST. The winner will be drawn and announced on February 21.

To earn additional entries:
Follow this blog and/or share the giveaway. Be sure to let me know what you’ve done to earn additional entries!

What is a quote that speaks to YOUR heart?

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Guest Post + #Giveaway: Vannetta Chapman

27 Jun

Giveaway- Deep Shadows

Welcome back to the blog, Vannetta!  Thanks so much for visiting with us today and for graciously offering a copy of Deep Shadows to one of my readers.  Please tell us about dystopian fiction and your latest release.

A Dystopian Setting—Deep In the Heart of Texas

Deep Shadows is the first book in my upcoming Remnant Series. It’s a dystopian Christian fiction novel, and instead of using a fictional setting I decided to use the area I know best—central Texas.

So what is dystopian fiction? At its core this type of story deals with a major shift in society—a plague or a global natural disaster or a man-caused universal change across the breadth of society. In Deep Shadows, a solar flare causes a disruption in all things electrical for the foreseeable future.

Yikes! No cell phones or a/c or television? No internet? I know. It’s a horrible thing to imagine. I had a lot of fun with it because I love torturing my characters and seeing if they are strong enough, smart enough, faithful enough to survive.

But it’s not all fiction.

Bob and Phoebe

• Gorman Falls and Colorado Bend State Park do actually exist, and it provides a dramatic, remote setting for the opening scene of Deep Shadows.
• Fort Hood is located in central Texas and is one of the largest US military installations in the world. The close proximity of this base provides a nice tension to my plot.
• There is no town called Fort Croghan; however, the US government established Fort Croghan in 1849 to protect settlers from hostile Indians along the Texas frontier. You can still visit the grounds and museum. I had a lot of fun imagining that a town had grown up around this historic site.
• Townsend Mills was established in 1856 and was a base camp for surveying crews. It no longer exists today but the small town Adamsville is located near the old site. Townsend Mills provides a nice transition from small town living to a life spent hunkering down on the farm, waiting for things to improve.
• There are more than 2900 natural springs in 183 Texas counties. Water quickly becomes a scarce resource in Deep Shadows, which would especially be true in central Texas where much of the area is exceedingly dry. In my story, any place with a water resource becomes a place of refuge as well as a designated target for those in need of that resource.Small town Texas

 

While I enjoyed using real places, the main setting—Abney, Texas—does not exist. I could not bear to destroy a town that I know and love, so instead I used a compilation of several towns in central Texas.

 

Deep Shadows is a story about relationships and how they survive or crumble when what we’ve feared, as a society, occurs. It’s also a story of faith and hope. What do I hope readers take away from this story? The assurance that God’s grace is always sufficient. Take the worst scenario that you can imagine, and you can still count on our Heavenly Father—maybe not to make things instantly better, but to lead, guide, and care for us regardless the circumstances. 

I can’t wait to read this story!  Thank you so much for sharing, Vannetta!

 

Giveaway- Deep Shadows

GIVEAWAY DETAILS – (US only)
One lucky reader will win a print copy of Deep Shadows!

To enter the giveaway:
Leave a comment below, and be sure to include your email address. The giveaway ends Monday, July 4th at midnight CDT. The winner will be drawn and announced on July 5th.

To earn additional entries:
Follow this blog and/or share the giveaway. Be sure to let me know what you’ve done to earn additional entries!

What would YOU miss most if an electrical disruption occurred?

 

Deep Shadows

Deep Shadows by Vannetta Chapman

Purchase a copy:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Christianbook

All It Takes Is One Night to Plunge the World into Darkness

Life in Abney, Texas, is predictable and safe–until the night a massive solar flare wipes out all modern technology.

Shelby Sparks, novelist and single mom, had one goal: to provide for her diabetic son. In the wake of this global disaster, her mission hasn’t changed. Only now, medication is a priceless commodity and the future resembles an apocalyptic nightmare.

Max Berkman and Shelby were once sweethearts, but he lost his chance at claiming her love years ago. When the abrupt loss of power ushers him into a leadership role, he rises to the occasion. But his highest priority–to keep Shelby and her son safe–could prove to be the biggest challenge of all.

As the brilliant northern lights give way to deep shadows, Max and Shelby’s faith will be tested like never before. Only one rule remains: Find a way to survive.

In this first book in an eerily plausible dystopian series, a memorable cast of characters must navigate a familiar world thrown into chaos.

 

vc author photo, DS

Vannetta Chapman writes inspirational fiction full of grace, including romantic suspense and Amish romance novels. She is the author of seventeen novels, including the Pebble Creek Amish series, The Shipshewana Amish Mystery series and Anna’s Healing, a 2016 Christy Award finalist. Vannetta is a Carol award winner and also received more than two dozen awards from Romance Writers of America chapter groups. She was a teacher for 15 years and currently resides in the Texas hill country. 

Connect with Vannetta:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Guest Post + #Giveaway: Vannetta Chapman

28 Jan

Guest Post- Vannetta Chapman

It’s my pleasure to welcome Vannetta Chapman back to Buzzing About Books!  Thank you so much for visiting with us today, Vannetta, and for graciously offering a copy of Joshua’s Mission to one of my readers.  

Thank you for allowing me to visit your blog today, Britney. I’m very excited about the release of Joshua’s Mission (2-1-16), which is book 2 in my Plain & Simple Miracles series. This book is a Christian romance story, but some of you may wonder … how do you find romance in the midst of a disaster? And how is this sort of story about the grace of God? Great questions!

Joshua's Mission

Joshua’s Mission – Finding romance and grace in the midst of disaster

Joshua Kline travels from his farm in Oklahoma to offer aid to an Englisch town on the gulf coast of Texas after a category 4 hurricane has ravaged the area. What will Joshua find when he arrives in Texas? A budding romance? A call from God? A possible healing of his relationship with his brother? Joshua’s Mission is a story of love, forgiveness, and the grace of God that carries us through even the worst situations.

1. Romance? I love writing romance. I adore happily-ever-after, and I can find those stories in just about any situation. Middle of a hurricane? No problem. While your brother is intent on finding trouble with the law? Yeah. I can do that. During a recovery mission? Absolutely! I think love is, literally, all around us. And sometimes, it’s when we have trouble in our lives that we’re most open to a new relationship.

2. Grace? Disasters are a terrible thing. If you’ve ever experienced a first hand natural disaster, or been on site soon after one, you know what I mean. It’s heartbreaking to see people’s lives ripped apart. So how can we possibly have a story about grace in such a terrible situation?
The answer is in the way that we comfort one another. Christ told us to be His hands and feet, and during disasters we find people doing that very thing. We put down our cell phones, unplug from the internet, turn off the television, and we become involved with each other’s lives.

wimberley

I had the awesome chance to experience this recently after we had massive flooding in central Texas. On May 25, 2015, the towns of Wimberley and San Marcos were hit by catastrophic flooding from the Blanco River. The river crested at an estimated 41.5 feet, nearly 30 feet above flood stage. Lives were lost. Homes were destroyed. But the people in the area pulled together. Volunteers showed up in droves. Donations came in. Rebuilding began. The experience I had helping one family certainly changed my outlook. As one of the men told my husband, “We had no idea where to begin, and then you all showed up. You gave us hope.” Wow. Grace in the midst of disaster.

3. Fiction. Joshua’s Mission is a fictional account of a hurricane that hits the Texas gulf, but I was able to use first hand testimonies of hurricane victims in other areas, my own experience working on an emergency response team, and interviews with people in the area to weave together a story. There’s a little romance and a whole lot of grace. I hope that you’ll give it a try.

 

Giveaway graphic- Joshua's Mission

GIVEAWAY DETAILS – (US only)
One lucky reader will win a print copy of Joshua’s Mission!

To enter the giveaway:
Leave a comment below, and be sure to include your email address. The giveaway ends Monday, February 1 at midnight CST. The winner will be drawn and announced on February 2nd.

To earn additional entries:
Follow this blog, Buzzing About Books, and/or share the giveaway via social media. Be sure to let me know what you’ve done to earn additional entries!

Have you ever experienced a natural disaster or helped in a recovery effort? If not, maybe you know someone who has. Tell us your story.

 

VC

Vannetta Chapman writes inspirational fiction full of grace. She discovered her love for the Amish while researching her grandfather’s birthplace of Albion, Pennsylvania. Her novel, Falling to Pieces, was a 2012 ACFW Carol Award winner for best mystery. Chapman was a teacher for 15 years and currently writes full time. She lives in the Texas hill country with her husband.

Connect with Vannetta:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

Purchase a copy of Joshua’s Mission:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,