Wrapping up the Trivia Contest

Hello Everyone!

Thank you to all who participated in my "Spend a Year in Orchard Hill" Trivia Contest. To recap:

Day 1
My early bird winner was Sherry Kuhn and the drawing winner was Nancy Garrett.

Day 2
Becky Tidberg was both the early bird and the drawing winner.


Now on to Day 3. (Drumroll, please)
The early bird winner is E. A. West
The winner of the drawing is JoAnn Carter

The early bird winners will receive an Orchard Hill magnet set and the drawing winners will receive an Orchard Hill desk calendar and the Orchard Hill download of their choice.

But wait...There's more.

Beverly Gordon is the only participant who entered multiple days and did not win a prize. Beverly, I'll send you a magnet set, too.

Again, I thank you all for entering in spite the link problems. I greatly appreciate the time you gave to read my excerpts and find out a little bit about Orchard Hill. I hope you've enjoyed your time there and will visit again soon. In fact, please stop by my website tomorrow to read the newest free story "First Comes Love."



I wish you all a Christmas filled with blessings. I hope you will be together with family and friends. At a season when time always seems short, I also wish you the time to be still and remember why we celebrate this day and give thanks for Jesus, God's great gift to us.

Merry, merry Christmas!

Kara Lynn Russell

Looking Ahead in Orchard Hill

Yesterday I posted a blurb and excerpt about a new story due out in June 2010. Before that there will be two more free reads available.

The first will be posted on my website on Monday - http://karalynnrussell.googlepages.com/. In "First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage" Cora Applebaum gives an account of all the weddings that resulted from Pansy and Misty's matchmaking. She also has a few things to say about an old beau that she keeps meeting at these weddings. If you plan to read the complete series, but haven't yet, you may want to wait to read this one.

Next, "Baby Boom" will be featured as a free read from White Rose Publishing. I don't have a release date for that one, but it should be some time in January or early February since it is a Valentine's story.

In "Baby Boom" Riley and Ian's cousin Vanessa has volunteered to baby sit so that they can take their wives out for Valentine's Day. It sounds better than staying home alone yet again on Valentine's. But caring for Riley's infant twins and Ian's six puppies is more work than she bargained for - especially when the puppies escape. So she grabs the baby monitor and heads out into the snow to find them.

Here's a tiny peek at the story:

****

Kneeling, she began to reach under the prickly bush. She'd just managed to get her hand around one of the puppies when she was suddenly grabbed from behind and pulled to her feet. She shrieked in surprise and the puppy wiggled away. The baby monitor slipped from her belt and fell into the snow.

Behind her a man's voice demanded "Who are you and what are you doing?"

"My name is Vanessa and I'm...I'm babysitting."

The grip on her arms loosened slightly. "You're what?"

"I'm babysitting for my cousin's twins and my other cousin's puppies. Only the babies were crying and then the puppies escaped and..."

She tried to turn so she could see the man, but his hold on her tightened again. "That's quite a story. Have you got any more?"

"I'm not making this up! There are two puppies in your bushes. I need to get them inside before..."

A tiny wail sounded from the baby monitor, now covered in snow.

*****

Sounds like the worst Valenine's ever, right? But then again, maybe not.

Orchard Hill Trivia - Day Three

Good Morning!

Once again I apologize to those who had problems with the links. I am not sure what the problem is. They work when I test them, but people are still reporting being unable to get through to my website. I hope today goes better. Anyone who has been unable to enter, please contact me at karalynnrussell (at) gmail.com. I'll email the excerpts to you.

Answers may be found at my website: http://karalynnrussell.googlepages.com/home This is the home page. You will need to select Orchard Hill from the side menu to get to the blurbs and excerpts. Yesterday and the day before I tried to link directly to the Orchard Hill page. Since that's not working, I've decided to try linking to my home page instead.

Yesterday's Winners - Becky Tidberg is both my first entrant of the day and the winner of the drawing. Congratulations! Everyone else, please give it another try today. I will send a set of bookmarks to anyone who enters or anyone who emails and tells me they haven't been able to get through to my website for the answers.

Today's Questions
7 What does Harmony not want Joseph to see when they are caught together during a thunderstorm?
8. What is Shaun's big surprise when he sees Patience after their separation?
9. What is Joy doing when Isaac comes to visit her?

Stop back later today for news about two free Orchard Hill stories to be released soon.

Thank you everyone for entering my contest, or at least trying to enter my contest, in spite of the problems.

New OH Story coming in June

Here's a sample of "Susan's 4th of July Fireworks," which will be released from White Rose Publishing next June.

Pansy and Misty matched a lot of couples in Orchard Hill but not everyone needs their help.

Cal Wensloff has moved back home to Orchard Hill and Susan Schmidt discovers that the crush she had on him in high school is alive and well. The amazing part is that Cal seems to be interested in her, too. But when her father forbids her to see him, and a rival sets her sights on Cal, Susan has to make some hard choices.

The 4th of July is coming up and one way or another, there'll be fireworks for Susan.

********************

Excerpt (In which Susan discovers that her high school crush is her father's new employee.)

Cal Wensloff, the subject of her high school fantasies, stood in her doorway. Unprepared to meet him again after all these years, Susan stared at him dumbly. Over six feet of hard muscle, broad shoulders and that mischievous glint in those blue eyes that contradicted the farm boy “aw shucks” smile on his face.

“Hi Susan,” he said, his smile widening a bit for her. “Can I come in?”

“S-sure. In. I mean, come in.” So much for her cool, self reliant businesswoman image.

She stepped back so Cal could enter. His arm grazed hers and tingles flew up to her shoulder. She might as well be back in Mrs. Schlaeger’s home room, she told herself.

Suddenly Susan couldn’t remember if she’d combed her hair yet. And she wished she was wearing a suit and heels. She felt vulnerable in her bare feet.

Her father greeted Cal and he nodded in return. “Ready to go?” he asked.

“Not quite. Give me a couple of minutes.”

“Would you like some coffee, Cal?” There, she could speak in complete sentences. Cal had just caught her off guard, that was all. She was fine, Susan told herself.

“Sure, if it’s no trouble.”

She opened her cupboard and saw that she’d used the last mug on the lower shelf. Standing on tiptoes, she stretched up to reach the higher one.

“Let me get that for you.” Cal was suddenly right behind her, crowding her against the counter and reaching over her head to grab the mug. He rested one hand on her shoulder and his chest brushed her back. Instantly every nerve she had was on high alert and her heart fluttered in her chest.

See, she had come a long way since high school. If he’d touched her like this back then, someone would have had to mop her up off the floor and pour her into a bucket. Now, they’d probably only need a spatula.

Orchard Hill Trivia - Day Two

Before I announce yesterday's winners or give the questions for today, I must apologize. It seems that I forgot to mention yesterday that you can find the answers to the questions on my website - http://karalynnrussell.googlepages.com/

I've been talking about the contest so much I guess that I'm not paying attention to what I say anymore! In apology, I'd like to offer a set of my bookmarks to anyone who was not able to enter yesterday. Just email me with your snail mail address and I'll send them out.

Thank you to those of you who did enter yesterday. My first reply was from Sherry Kuhn. The winner of the drawing was Nancy Garrett. Congratulations ladies. I'll be contacting you.

Today's questions are:
4. What animal is printed on the pajamas that Faith is wearing when Andrew and Harmony stop by?

5. What is the name of Oliver's rival for Hope's affections?

6. What does David think he and Sarah need to practice?

Just a reminder - the first person to email me with the answers will receive an Orchard Hill magnet set. The winner of each day's drawing will win the Orchard Hill download of her choice and a "Spend a Year in Orchard Hill" desk calendar, featuring a different cover from the series for every month.

Thank you to all who participated. Later today I will post an excerpt from my upcoming Orchard Hill release "Susan's Fourth of July Fireworks."

Orchard Hill Trivia Day One

Get Ready...
Read the questions. There will be three trivia questions each day for three days. That's one question per story (excluding the free reads.)

Get Set...
Go to my website http://karalynnrussell.googlepages.com/ and search blurbs, excerpts and free reads to find the answers to the questions.

Go!
The first person to respond each day will win an Orchard Hill magnet set. Each correct answer that a person submits = 1 chance in that day's drawing. The winner will receive a "Spend the Year in Orchard Hill" desk calendar and one download of any Orchard Hill story.

Today's Questions:

1. In which room of the church did Riley comfort Gracie after her fiance left her at the altar?

2. What does Angel name the dog she adopts?

3. Why is Lily unwilling to let anyone get close to her?

Email the answers to me - karalynnrussell (at) gmail.com. Please do NOT leave answers as comments. Those will not be counted as entries. Please DO include an email address so I can contact you if you win. I will not use these addresses for any other purpose but to contact the winner.

Come back tomorrow to see who wins todays contest - and to get the next set of questions.

Introducing Orchard Hill

Tomorrow marks the beginning of the Orchard Hill Trivia contest. So today I will introduce Orchard Hill for those who are new here. Orchard Hill, Wisconsin is named after the orchard that overlooks the town. Orchard Hill is actually in a valley. Other than the name thing, it's a pretty typical small town. But even small towns have excitement once in a while. And last year was a big one for Orchard Hill!

At the Orchard Hill Community Church Pansy Parker serves as secretary and Misty Green is the Choir Director. These ladies also consider themselves experts on love and romance. Each claims to be Orchard Hill's best matchmaker. When their rivalry gets to be a problem, they decide to put it to a test. They will prove which one is the best matchmaker by keeping track for a year. The one with the most matches wins. Not that there's a prize, other than the satisfaction of being the best. It's not like they can tell anyone, right? Pastor Isaac would never approve of that.

The contest begins at the New Year's and goes straight through to Christmas. The titles are:
Saving Gracie
Entertaining Angel
Considering Lily
Keeping Faith
Enduring Hope
Accepting Charity
Disrupting Harmony
Losing Patience
Finding Joy.

You can find more information on Orchard Hill and my other books by visiting my website karalynnrussell.googlepages.com.

I hope you'll be back tomorrow for the beginning of the Orchard Hill Trivia contest. Plus there'll be few extras here before the end of the year. Cora Applebaum, Orchard Hill's most informed citizen will be reporting on all the weddings that took place after the matchmaking contest. (They sure kept Pastor Isaac busy!)

And I'll give you a little sneak peak of a couple of new Orchard Hill stories. Pansy and Misty may have done their share of matchmaking, but sometimes love happens even without them!

Spend a Year in Orchard Hill and Win!

Think you'd like to visit Orchard Hill, a small town with big romance? There are a few ways to get there. You can

Try some short Orchard Hill stories for free!

Buy individual Orchard Hill stories at White Rose Publishing.

Buy the collected stories in print - volumes 1, 2 & 3 - at White Rose Publishing.

Buy the Orchard Hill Gift Set from White Rose Publishing. Includes all three print volumes, a White Rose Publishing Mug and Apple Cider mixes.

OR

You can enter the Spend a Year in Orchard Hill Trivia Contest!

I'll post 3 Trivia questions each day on December 10, 11, and 12. Answers to all questions can be found on my website, in the story blurbs or excerpts. Send me the answers at karalynn_russell@yahoo.com. Please include your email address so I can contact you if you win.



Every correct answer earns you 1 chance in that day's drawing. (3 correct answers means I'll put your name in the hat 3 times.) I will draw the winners' name on the day after I post that set of questions and announce the winner on the blog.

One winner each day will win a "Spend a Year in Orchard Hill" desk calendar and a download of any Orchard Hill story they choose.



The first person to reply each day will win an Orchard Hill magnet set, which includes one small magnet featuring the covers of the print volumes and a larger calendar magnet with the slogan "Spend a Year in Orchard Hill."



So pack your bags and get ready to visit Orchard Hill. Just make sure to lock up your heart if you don't want to lose it. You never know what will happen with Pansy and Misty competing for matches.