This week I’m hosting Susan Sleeman with Special Ops Christmas (US only) and Ava Pennington with Daily Reflections on the Names of God: A Devotional (US only). If you want to enter the drawings for the books, please leave a comment on your post with your email address. I will not enter you without an email address (my way to contact you if you win). If you don’t want to leave an email address, another way you can enter is to email me at margaretdaley@gmail.com. The drawings end Sunday (Oct. 19th) evening.
This week will be the Christian Fiction Fall Scavenger Hunt. I will be Stop #28. It will start at noon (mountain time) Friday, Oct. 17th. I will be having a bonus contest on my blog so check back on Oct. 17th. There are 33 Christian fiction authors participating with a grand prize. ONE entry per person. If we find you’ve registered under separate IDs, you’ll be disqualified. Please, be HONEST. If you’re an international winner, your prize will be the equivalent of what we’re offering in the USA in terms of USD$$, based on that day’s exchange rate, and what we can figure out in terms of online options (ex. Apple in Australia, etc.). If the Kindle Fire HDX is more expensive in your country than it is in the USA ($269 USD), we shall give you an Amazon gift card for the equivalent of the USD value. International runners-up winners will receive most of their books via Book Depository, and therefore, they cannot be autographed—sorry.
Interview with the hero from Special Ops Christmas by Susan Sleeman:
1. Travis Chapman, tell me the most interesting thing about you.
I guess the most interesting thing is that I’m a Special Forces officer in the Green Berets. People haven’t heard much about the Berets since Vietnam, but we’re very much active and serving our country whenever and wherever needed.
2. What do you do for fun?
Mostly, I hang out with my teammates. We’re all big sports fans, so going to a game, any kind of game, is fun for me.
3. What do you put off doing because you dread it?
Don’t tell my CO this, but man, I hate all the work it takes to keep my dress uniform in top condition. I mean, I don’t wear it all that often, but it has to be perfect and it takes time that I’d rather spend elsewhere.
4. What are you afraid of most in life?
Honestly, I’m not afraid of much, but losing a fellow Beret is one thing I dread. Sadly, it happens. Man, I hate it, but we all know we are putting our lives on the line each and every time we deploy. When it happens, we remember our lost brother fondly and soldier on.
5. What do you want out of life?
I want what most people want. A job I love. A wife. Family. And I want to be happy. Sometimes that’s hard in the job I’m in. I see the worst of people. So I have to compartmentalize my life and stow all that stuff away.
6. What is the most important thing to you?
Hands down the most important thing I do is save lives. Every mission, every deployment is undertaken with the knowledge that our actions will save lives. May not be in the immediate task, but could be long term. I love what I do!
7. Do you read books? If so, what is your favorite type of book?
Yeah, I’m a reader. Military things mostly. Especially biographies. You can learn a lot by other people’s successes and failure.
8. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I’m a take-charge kind of guy. I have to be in my job. We often have to make quick decisions. To think and act on the spur of the moment. This carries over in my personal life, when sometimes it’s more important to stand back and evaluate. Especially when it comes to women. I’ve learned the hard way that they don’t always like us to solve their problems, but to listen to them and let them work through it. I’m working on the listening part.
9. Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet?
No pet. I’d like to have a dog, but I deploy at a moment’s notice so that wouldn’t be real practical.
10. If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?
I wouldn’t want to travel back. I don’t like to revisit the past. I like to learn from the mistakes and successes then move forward.