Michelle Griep's debut novel Gallimore!!!

Winner of a copy of The Red Siren from last week is : Mary! Congrats Mary. For everyone else, you have 3 more chances to win this month. Thanks to everyone who entered. I loved reading your comments!

I must delay this week's Red Siren post until Wednesday in favor of introducing you to my good friend and fellow author, Michelle Griep. Her very first novel released today, Gallimore, and if you leave a comment about anything you read in this posting, your name will be entered in a drawing for a free copy. Believe me, you'er going to love this book!

Minnesota author, Michelle Griep, has been writing since she first discovered Crayolas and blank wall space. She has homeschooled four children over the past twenty years, and teaches both Civics and Creative Writing for area co-ops. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers. Michelle's debut historical romance, GALLIMORE, is scheduled for release today! Here's a bit about the story.

Here's a blurb about the book

Jessica Neale’s faith is lost the day of her husband’s death, and with it, her belief in love. In a journey to find peace, she encounters a gentle, green-eyed stranger who leads her to the ruins of the medieval castle, Gallimore.
On his way to battle, Colwyn Haukswyrth, knight of Gallimore, comes face to face with a storm the likes of which he’s never seen, and a woman in the midst of it who claims to live centuries in the future. The Lady Jessica of Neale is an irksome, provoking bit of woman to be sure. And she’s about to turn his beliefs on end.
The product of a family rooted in pain and evil, Colwyn has focused on naught but himself—until Jessica. To a mysterious prophecy stitched on a tapestry, through the invasion of Gallimore itself, Colwyn and Jessica are bound together by a lesson in forgiveness and love—a bond that might be strong enough to survive the grave.

Check out the video trailer

Quirky - Q & A with Michelle Gripe.


Fiction character you would most like to be or most identify with and why?
I always wanted to be Lt. Uhura on Star Trek because her uniform is pretty sweet, she gets to wear a funky ear piece, and she never had a bad hair day in her life.

If you could ask any person, living or dead, a random question -- what question would you ask of whom?
I’d ask Mr. Rogers about the whole sweater and sneaker attire…was that really your idea or your mother’s?

Some out there in writing land have strange rituals. Share yours.
It involves blood letting and small mammals, which I’m pretty sure is illegal in most of the contiguous United States. Good thing I live in the state of confusion (sorry, couldn’t resist).

If you could change something in any novel, what would you change about it and why?
I’ll be stepping on some toes here, but personally I’d cut a dinner party or two out of Sense & Sensibility.

What crayon in the box describes you on a good day? Bad day? Which one do you aspire to be?
I’m a marker girl myself, so I’m not really up on crayon colors.

Pick one…..Pink iguana, purple cow, periwinkle giraffe. Which one and why? Can be negative or positive.
Not touching that with a ten-foot pole.

Favorite turn of phrase or word picture, in literature or movie.
Classic: Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries. (from Monte Python and the Holy Grail)
Most Recent: The sun stretched its rays further and stronger, like a thousand lances determined to strike a strong blow and leave a red mark. (from In the Shadow of Lions by Ginger Garrett)

If you were assured of writing a best-seller, what genre would it be? Give us a sliver of information, a characteristic or glimpse of a scene.
Time travel – I love to throw myself into history, and of course I’m always the heroine. Naturally there’d be an unbelievably muscular hero who’s a warrior with a big heart that’s completely devoted to the heroine. And sorry, Fabio would NOT be on the cover.

What period of history intrigues you the most?
Medieval

What would you write if there were no rules or barriers? (epic novels about characters in the Bible, poetry, greeting cards, plays, movies, instruction manuals, etc.)
Whatever I feel like I wanna do! Gosh!

What makes you feel alive?
A cattle prod…don’t ask.

How does something worm its way into your heart? Through tears, truth, humor or other?
Time – I’m a slow learner.

Book, music, person, food you would take with you on a very long trip.
Book: Bible Person: Jesus
Music: Third Day Food: Chocolate

Where would you most like to travel ----- moon, north pole, deep seas, deserted island, the holy land or back to a place from your childhood, somewhere else? – and why.
England. I’m an Anglophile at heart.

Favorite season and why?
Autumn because of the amazing colors and the fact that hot chocolate is once again in season.

Favorite book setting and why?
Jane Eyre when she’s walking the misty moor and Rochester appears on a rearing horse. That’s how God most often works in my life. I’m usually walking around in a daze and bam! He appears.


Which compliment related to your writing has meant the most and why?
Actually, I try hard to ignore compliments and criticism (mean-spirited, anyway) because I don’t want to get a big head, nor do I want to have my heart pierced.

What would you do today if you knew you had only a week to live?
Eat lots of chocolate, drink lots of coffee, and tell lots of people about Jesus. Wait a minute…I do that anyway.

What is your favorite word?
Pinworms

What word annoys you more than any other?
Can’t

Superhero you most admire and why?
Underdog. What’s not to love about a pup in a cape?

Super power you'd love to borrow for awhile?
Invisibility

Favorite chore
Cooking

Anything you'd do but don't because of fear of pain? What is it? Ex. Bungee jumping, sky diving, running with scissors.
Stiletto Heels

Grammatical pet peeve…sound off.
Just say no to sentence diagramming.

Societal pet peeve…sound off.
Young men, pull up your pants or spackle that crack. I’ve seen enough boxers in my laundry basket. I do not need to see yours.


Fear Factor

by Michelle Griep

Fear. Not the instant electrical zing roiling your gut, quivering your heart into atrial fibrillation, and leaving the acidic taste in the back of your mouth near your uvula. No. I’m talking the heavy wool kind. Permeating and relentless. The storm cloud type of fear that settles into your bones and sets up house.

As a rookie writer, I lived with that fear. What if I can’t master showing versus telling? What if my plot and structure is a bowl of spaghetti? What if I can’t land an agent? All those doubts compounded into one sickening terror—what if I never get published?

The obvious cure-all was a contract. Signing a contract would mean I’m a for-real author and all those doubts and fears would suffer a quick, painless death.
Wrong.
As soon as my pen left the page and before the ink dried on that first contract, more fears sprang to life. What if no one buys my book? What if I get bad reviews? What if I don’t meet my deadline?

Good thing I started hanging out with Isaiah, or rather, in Isaiah. As usual, when I needed it most, God made a verse jump right off the page, stilling my erratic heartbeat. Isaiah 41:10 says “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

I’m sure glad that promise is in black and white, especially now, facing the daunting task of writing guest blogs. I don’t know how to do that. What if…
Hey, Isaiah!


Okay, me again (MaryLu) . I had the privilege of reading Gallimore last month, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! It is an excellent adventure, time-travel, historical, romance that I'm sure you won't be able to put down!

A wonderful debut novel for Michelle Griep!

If you'd like to win a copy, please leave a comment about anything Michelle said in her interview that you found interesting.

And don't forget to visit Michelle at her website: http://www.mmgriep.com/

And you can order Gallimore at Amazon.com