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Saturday, February 28, 2015

Spotlight: Elizabeth Goddard and UNTRACEABLE





Elizabeth Goddard here.


Thank you so much for joining me on Suspense Sisters today! I’m not answering interview questions but simply blogging about my story, and sharing with you my heart and thoughts. You’ll get a peek inside and a look at the genesis of the story.  Also. . .


I'm giving away a copy of UNTRACEABLE, so when you've read the article, be sure to comment and leave your contact information to enter the drawing.



I’m excited to share more with you about my upcoming novel UNTRACEABLE. I say upcoming—it officially releases March 1, but many of you have already gotten your hands on the story through the Harlequin Readers Service or Book Club or via various contests around the web, or if you’re on my street team (Waving at my street team). 



UNTRACEABLE is book 2 in my MOUNTAIN COVE series--a mountain search and rescue series set in Alaska. If you haven’t already read book 1, BURIED, I strongly encourage you to start there. You can read UNTRACEABLE alone, sure, but it’s so much better if you meet the characters in BURIED. Besides, it starts out with an avalanche and I had so much fun writing that book. UNTRACEABLE was not a fun book to write. It was brutal, so brutal, but the payoff and the powerful emotional experience are so worth it.   




For my original proposal, I had written a book blurb for UNTRACEABLE to go with my synopsis and three chapters for BURIED, the first book, so I had to build the story from there. For the blurb I had in mind something from the synopsis of the CLIFFHANGER movie so I built the book from that idea. In my story, the weather played a big part in the conflict. The story takes place in the spring in southeast Alaska—so how bad could the weather be, you ask?




I always, always find something in real life that I can use to base my story research on and that real life story is about a man who fought blizzard after blizzard in that same region  where my story is set. I’ll include the link to that real life story at the end of this post. My mountain search and rescue expert, who lives in southeast Alaska and assisted me with BURIED, sent me the link to that story. He also played an important role in rescuing the individual stranded on the Juneau Icefield. 




See, that’s why I love writing stories set in Alaska. There is so much fodder to work with. Plenty of wild and dangerous and beautiful nature to add to the tension and conflict. So I have my man-vs-man conflict and I added on a ton of man-vs-nature conflict, and because I was going through a brutal time myself, spiritual conflict grew from that.





Think about it though. If you are being battered from all sides, and feeling weighed down by life itself, you have spiritual conflict going on. You might wonder where God is in all this? That’s exactly how my characters felt. And that’s how I felt personally and in real life as I wrote this story. All that comes out in the writing.




I held nothing back.




Hence we came up with the title, UNTRACEABLE. The rescuers needed rescued but how could anyone find them? How could even God find them? I hope I’ve piqued your interest now. You can purchase UNTRACEABLE anywhere Love Inspired Books are sold.



If you read the article please comment and share your thoughts. I love to hear from you. That lets me know I've connected. Plus, you'll be entered in the drawing for UNTRACEABLE.  Also, if you'd like to get book news from me, stop over at my website ElizabethGoddard.com and sign up for my newsletter.


http://www.amazon.com/Untraceable-Mountain-Cove-Elizabeth-Goddard/dp/0373446578/ref=tmm_mmp_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1425144554&sr=8-1
NO WAY OUT

On a daring mission, search-and-rescue specialist Heidi Warren and her team step onto an icy Alaskan mountaintop. . .and right into a trap. A stranded gang of thieves holds them at gunpoint, forcing them to serve as guides along the treacherous path. Menaced on all sides by dangerous weather, deadly terrain and murderous criminals, Heidi desperately needs someone to trust. But her rescue partner, Isaiah Callahan, is keeping secrets from her. Secrets that ended their chance at a relationship before it could even begin. Yet her survival depends on finding a way to trust Isaiah when a blizzard starts closing in and her options start running out.

Mountain Cove: In the Alaskan wilderness, love and danger collide.




You can buy UNTRACEABLE for you Kindle here.
 


Now, if you’d like to read a story from which I drew inspiration and knowledge for UNTRACEABLE, click here.




Many blessings!



Elizabeth Goddard is the bestselling, award-winning author of  twenty-three romance novels and counting. A 7th generation Texan, Elizabeth graduated with a B.S. degree in computer science and worked in high-level software sales for several years before retiring to home school her children and fulfill her dream of becoming an author. Currently, she makes her home in Minnesota where she helps her husband in ministry.


 










34 comments:

  1. This series looks amazing & I can't wait to read both books! Thanks for the fun contest. I live in Alaska & love Alaskan adventure books exploring areas I haven't been! Neceemama@yahoo(dot)com

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Necee. I hope you get the chance to read both books!

      Beth

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  2. I have started reading Buried and would love to read Untraceable too. rttl@mosquitonet.com

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    1. Thanks for commenting. I hope you enjoy BURIED and get to read UNTRACEABLE. The next two books in the series are BACKFIRE, and SUBMERGED is the fourth book.

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  3. I loved the movie, Cliffhanger and I love Alaska. My son and I took an Alaskan cruise the summer of 2000, right after he graduated from high school. The ruggedness and beauty of Alaska was something to behold.

    mauback55 at gmail dot com

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  4. I enjoyed your post. A good suspense is the best and what better place than Alaska. It ruggedness and beauty make a perfect setting for your wonderful Untraceable. Thank you for sharing.

    mauback55 at gmail dot com

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  5. This sounds like a great novel! I love Alaska as a setting, and the parallels you draw between the team being trapped and feeling like no one can find them, and feeling like God can't find you either. Can't wait to read it!

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    1. myfacebookemail23 at yahoo dot com

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    2. Hi Kim, thanks for stopping by and commenting. I hope you get a chance to read Buried AND Untraceable!

      Beth

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  6. This sounds very interesting . I love books with some truth behind them.

    lsnljohnson at aol dot com

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  7. I love that you tackled so much with so many angles in your book Untraceable. It is very brave to not shy away from your own struggles but instead added more depth to your story by including them. I imagine that after the tension and struggle there would be some great release for you on all ends.
    Thanks for sharing how you came up with your story too. I love seeing how the pieces fall into place. It is refreshing hearing that. Some authors just say "I have lots of ideas I don't know where they come from." I love when you can kind of pinpoint a bit. Please keep sharing and writing!
    KellysShining(at)gmail(dot)com

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  8. Can they be found? I like how you teased with that...
    Definitely on my TBR list :)
    dkstevensneAT outlookD OtCoM

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  9. HI Marilyn,

    Thank you for stopping by. I love that God has given me the opportunity to share nuggets of His truth within stories, kind of like Jesus did. I hope you get a chance to read them!

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  10. Your book sounds fascinating, and addressing the issue of where is God when I am hurting and do not see Him is a message that could benefit us all. Thank you!

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  11. This looks so good. Virginia
    Thereadmaster(at)me(dot)com

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  12. Wow! This book sounds amazing, and I'd love to read Buried, also.

    kathae at jacobfam dot net

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  13. sounds like a great book to read....thanks for the chance to win it!
    rita dot navarre at yahoo dot com

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  14. I'm so glad I followed the link to this blog. I hadn't heard of Buried or Untraceable, but now I can't wait to find copies of both of them!

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  15. So looking forward to reading both books. Sound great. choirlady27@hotmail.com

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  16. I would so love to win this and read it. Then share it. jrs362 at hotmail dot com

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  17. I watched the movie Cliffhanger years ago & boy did it ever live up to it's name! Very intense, nail-biting & suspenseful, real heart-pounder for sure. I can see where Alaska would be a great setting for that synopsis.
    I have "Buried" but have yet to read it! It's a case of so many books, so little time :D Would love to add "Untraceable" to it, thank you for the chance! Especially if it has shadows of the movie in it. I already know I will LOVE it.
    I liked where you had some thoughtful questions such as "How could anyone find them? How could even God find them?". It does indeed pique my interest! There have been times in my life where I've asked that same question....how can even God find me in all this mess? But over the years (and life experiences), I have learned that He is right there IN the mess with me; for scripture tells us that "He will never leave nor forsake me". I may not have "felt" Him in that particular season I was going through, but that doesn't change the fact that He is always there :) So I trust more today!
    Thank you again, Beth for the wonderful blog & the giveaway! May God's blessings pour on you everyday as you live to glorify Him :)

    teamob4 (at) gmail (dot) com

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  18. The books sound good and I know that I would enjoy them very much!

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  19. Oooo! sounds like some super suspense, Elizabeth!

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  20. So glad you all stopped by. Hope you get the chance to read BURIED AND UNTRACEABLE. They're just the beginning of the series!

    Beth

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  21. Many of us have wondered if God has Abandoned us or if we are worthy. Thank you for a great interview and giveaway.
    Connie
    cps1950 at gmail dot com

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  22. Oooh! It sounds really good. I've always wanted to go to Alaska. Guess I'll just read about it until I can!
    Danajeweler at y mail dot com

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  23. Hello Beth I enjoyed this and just know I would like the book. I live in Texas. I have lived in Montana for a short time helping my -in-law with her Dude Ranch. And, I lived in Jackson Hole, Wyoming for 6 years. Loved it there. I have family who have lived in Alaska for many years. I would love to have a chance to win this book of yours.
    Maxie > mac262(at)me(dot)com <

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  24. Beth I love stories based in Alaska. You're right about nature playing in as part of the suspense. Glad to hear there are more books to come. I'm glad your through your brutal time and hoped you'll be free of that ever happening again.
    lill dot kohler at gmail dot com

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  25. There are days (weeks, months) that I have felt battered by that spiritual conflict you talked about. Thankful for His rescue. Thankful for authors like you who are willing to write about it! :)

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  26. I love finding new authors to read and this book really sounds good. Can't wait to read it. Thank you for the chance to win it.

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  27. Thanks for stopping by everyone. Thanks for your encouragement. It means a lot to me when you comment and share your thoughts.

    Just a few more days and I'll let random.org pick a winner. I hope that if you don't win the book, you're still able to get your hands on it.

    Beth

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  28. Sounds like a great read! Thanks for the giveaway!

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