Giveaways Are Fun!

Posted by Tiffini on February 9, 2013 in Feburary 2013 | 14 Comments

I have a couple copies of most of my books lying on the shelf in my room and spontaneously decided, just now, to host a giveaway. Because giveaways are fun. And because I really, really love these books and it makes me really, really happy to hear what others think of them.

So!

I’m going to give a short backdrop to the books. I will post this post here as also on Facebook. All you have to do is read about the books, read or listen to a sample if you so desire, and post a comment, telling me which book you want. If you are the first person here or on Facebook to request it: it’s yours! Truly, that simple. Once all the books have been claimed, I will let everyone know!

So… To get started, here is a listing of the books.

Mountains of Hope.

Written as a teenager, this is one of the oldest books I have currently published. Set in war torn Nazi Germany, this book tells the story of a fourteen year old heroine named Alexi. Seeking refuge from her cold and distant family, Alexi finds solace in the neighboring woods. Until she hears a plane crash. She rushes to find 12 wary American soldiers, all alive but some wounded. She spontaneously decides to shelter and care for them. When she is betrayed, the soldiers escape but Alexi is sent to Auschwitz for her crime. This is a story of courage, loyalty, hope and friendship in the face of tremendous evil. Although the writing is simpler in this book than in the others, it remains a very special one that is close to my heart.

You can read an excerpt here and an interview about the book here. A letter to Holocaust survivors, and an explanation of how deep my conviction and passion for this era is can be found here. If you want further research or information, Erik Rosenfeld, a Holocaust survivor and American war veteran recently spoke to a group of Franklin and Nashville adults and children. You can watch the speech on YouTube here.

Me

This is also an older book, written when I was on the cusp of adulthood. It is one of the more intense and dramatic stories. It details Abrielle Britian’s traumatic kidnapping and subsequent abusive childhood. It is also a love story and takes a look at how true love can heal deep woods given time and willing hearts. It is one of the longer published books at 600 pages. The writing is simpler here too, due to the age during which I wrote it. Be that as it may, I harbor deep love for this book. It looks at the kind of gifts a supportive and good family offer that goes beyond money, like confidence and intrinsic happiness. It also examines how children of different families grow up faster or gentler, depending on the family dynamic. My supporting characters in this book are some of my favorite characters, ever. For instance, Pete Cunningham is the father I always dreamed of and I often re-read the book just so I can revisit him. Clayton, the hero, is maybe a bit stereotyped but still, I love him. He’s gentle, patient and good. His love changes Abrielle.

You can read an excerpt here.

Forget Me Not

This is a complicated story.

Most of my books deal with the effects of physical or sexual childhood abuse. Abuse that resulted from inappropriate touch. This book, however, is very different. It started with a simple question in my head: what if you were never, evertouched? The resulting research left me traumatized and I knew I had to write it. Did you know that touch is a vital part of positive development? It provides a sense of self worth that we don’t hear much about because we take for granted that we’ll get a hug today. But what if you didn’t, and you never did? Did you know that extreme touch deprivation can kill children? It has happened in history.

FMN is the story of one little girl who is not physically abused. Ever. She is also never, ever touched. Her behavior and ultimate life Is based on extensive research. It was very hard to write. At first glance, it may not seem like a relevant issue in today’s sensory world. It is, however. In an effort to avoid physical abuse, adults are starting to go to the extreme in the opposite direction. Teachers are not allowed anymore to hug students. What’s next?

You can listen to an audio excerpt here and here. You can read an interview from me here.

Holding Home

This is one of my personal favorites. It is not about sexual abuse. It tells the story of two siblings who are trapped in a home ripe with domestic violence. It examines our relationships with our siblings, the affect of violence on children even violence not directed toward them specifically and the ultimate cost of secrets. This book challenged me in many, many ways. It was the first book I’d written in first person from two different perspectives. It is the only book I have ever felt compelled to add drawings too. And it made my heart ache long after the last word was written. I still think of sweet teddy bears and broken hearted big brothers. I passionately believe in this book and the reviews from readers I’ve received tell me it’s an important part of my work.

You can read an excerpt here and an interview about it here.

The Character

This book has been monstrously important in my life. It was the very first book in which I gave a lot of my personal memories free reign. It was the first book told in first person narration, which forced me to expand as an author. But, even more importantly, it is Anna and Ash’s story. It is about childhood sexual abuse, and it does contain very sensitive and descriptive scenes of abuse as felt by a 10 year old little girl. It is so heart wrenching I cannot read it in its entirety. But in the midst of the abuse, Anna meets Ash, a mysterious, gifted storyteller who encourages her to believe in her own gifts. He shows her the joy in life and reminds her that she is loveable and liked.

Ash makes me melt. Simply put, I love him and how he makes my hurting Anna rise above intense tragedy and heartache. This book led to my speaking out in public about my own life and has acted as a tremendous tool for personal healing.

You can read an excerpt here and an interview here. A radio reading can be found hereYou can also read acclaim for the book .

God endows us with special gifts that we are meant to discover and cultivate for His glory. I am so, so thankful for all that writing has always meant to me and humbled at the opportunity to share it with others. I’ve been writing books a very long time–for all but 8 of my 32 years alive. These stories, and the ones yet unpublished, are more than words on paper. They are pieces of me. Next to parenting and mentoring children, writing is the biggest dream I’ve ever had and I feel blessed that I am surrounded by characters and stories that mean something precious to me. For a fun activity, you can read an imagined day I spent with 3 of my favorite characters here. I still reread this frequently because it makes my heart happy. Thank you for supporting my dream and allowing me to flourish within it!

Now it’s your turn!

After researching the books above, please simply let me know in the comments which one you want. As soon as all books are accounted for, you can message me your address and I’ll get them to you!

Enjoy!!

• abuse
• blogging
• books
• free
• giveaway
• reading
• writers
• Writing

← An Intravenous Iron Story Bucket List: Freezin For A Reason →