Winds of Wyoming, by Rebecca Lyles - FREE BOOK

Tell us about your book. Winds of Wyoming blurb:

Fresh out of a Pennsylvania penitentiary armed with a marketing degree, Kate Neilson heads to Wyoming anticipating an anonymous new beginning as a guest-ranch employee. A typical twenty-five-year-old woman might be looking to lasso a cowboy, but her only desire is to get on with life on the outside—despite her growing interest in the ranch owner. When she discovers a violent ex-lover followed her west, she fears the past she hoped to hide will imprison her once again.

Can you give us a sneak peek at your new release?

Kate Neilson peered into the slot on the collection box lid. Was that money she saw on the bottom or crumpled paper? Sometimes people put weird stuff in offering boxes.

The early morning sunshine hadn’t reached her side of the dark log chapel, but she didn’t dare turn on the interior lights and attract attention. Maybe she should grab the flashlight from her car. Though she’d opened the side door at the front of the sanctuary, she still couldn’t see inside the box.

She toyed with the padlock. All she needed was enough cash to get by until payday at her new job. If she left a note saying she’d pay it back right away, with interest, surely they’d understand. After all, she was down to her last ten—

The floor creaked.

Her heart stopped.

What inspired this book?

My inspiration for writing Winds of Wyoming came one night as I drove home from team-leading a Bible study at a women’s prison. Each time I visited the prison, I was struck by the similarities between the incarcerated women and myself. In the same way I loved my family, they loved theirs and longed to see and hold their parents, spouses, siblings and, especially, their children. Like I had done, many of them acknowledged their sins and asked Jesus to forgive them and transform them into women of God. We also had similar everyday struggles with relationships, forgiveness, transparency, obedience, health, trust, finances, faith, and so much more. As they say, the ground is level at the foot of the cross.

For several years, I’d been trying to write about a woman who left the east coast to start a new life in Wyoming. But I could never come up with a strong enough motive for her making the move to create a plausible plotline. When the ah-ha moment came to me, I realized that the immense challenge ex-offenders face when they return to society was the perfect dilemma for my heroine. As believers, freed prisoners have the power of Christ to help them walk the narrow road; however, past failures and corrupt friends still haunt them and try to drag them back to their former lifestyles.

Tell us something silly about you.

I love food that crunches! Don’t know why, but I thoroughly enjoy biting into seeds, nuts, crackers, chips, rice cakes, carrots, celery and other raw veggies. :=)

What was the first book you ever wrote?

My first book was a nonfiction collection of friendship evangelism stories. It’s a God Thing! Inspiring Stories of Life-Changing Friendships is available on Amazon, along with my second book, On a Wing and a Prayer – Stories from Freedom Fellowship, a Prison Ministry.

What project are you currently working on?

I’m almost finished with the sequel to Winds of Wyoming titled Winds of Freedom.

Where is your favorite place to vacation?

I love to camp in the mountains anywhere in the West!

What is a fond childhood memory?

I spent many hours roller skating round and round and round the block on those old all-metal skates that clamped to the soles of shoes using a skate key to tighten the clamps.

What books are you currently reading?

Special Delivery by Kathi Macias and Crazy Love by Francis Chan

What are your hobbies (besides writing)?

I enjoy cooking healthy meals, Bible study, children’s ministry, serving as a transitional coach for female ex-prisoners seeking lifestyle change, reading, walking, hiking, camping, biking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

Although debut novelist Rebecca Carey Lyles grew up in Wyoming, she and her husband, Steve, currently live in the neighboring state of Idaho. She enjoys the creativity and beauty that abound throughout her adopted state as well as opportunities to hike, camp, snowshoe and cross-country ski in the midst of God’s grandeur. Her nonfiction titles, both available on Amazon, are It's a God Thing! Inspiring Stories of Life-Changing Friendships and On a Wing and a Prayer–Stories from Freedom Fellowship, a Prison Ministry. http://www.beckylyles.com ; http://www.widgetwords.wordpress.com

Becky has offered a copy of her new release to a lucky winner. At least 10 people need to leave comments for there to be a contest OR you can email me at srstormo@yahoo.com and put "contest-wyoming" in the subject line. Winner announced April  29th.